2006 KENTUCKY DERBY
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©2006 HORSEPHOTOS/NTRA

Barbaro dominates the 132nd running of The Kentucky Derby.

BARBARO MUCH THE BEST IN EASY DERBY RUN 

KENTUCKY DERBY OFFICIAL RESULTS

MAY 6, 2006

KENTUCKY DERBY

GRADE I

CHURCHILL DOWNS; LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY

FOR THREE YEAR OLDS

ONE AND ONE QUARTER MILES

MAIN TRACK: FAST

 

 

Pgm Horse Win Place Show
8 Barbaro 14.20 8.00 6.00
13 Bluegrass Cat   28.40 15.40
2 Steppenwolfer     7.80

$2 Exacta: 8-13            $587.00
$2 Trifecta: 8-13-2      $11,418.40

BARBARO

Winner

132nd Kentucky Derby

Jockey: Edgar Prado

Trainer: Michael R. Matz

Owners: Lael Stables

Dark Bay/Brown Colt

Sire: Dynaformer

Dam: La Ville Rouge (Carson City)

Breeder: Mr. & Mrs. M. Roy Jackson (KY)

 

OFFICIAL ORDER OF FINISH

Program Number Horse Lengths Behind
8 Barbaro  
13 Bluegrass Cat 6 1/2
2 Steppenwolfer 8 1/2
1 Jazil 9 1/2
18 Brother Derek 9 1/2
6 Showing Up 10
11 Sweetnorthernsaint 13
14 Deputy Glitters 14
5 Point Determined 15 1/4
15 Seaside Retreat 15 1/4
19 Storm Treasure 19 3/4
17 Lawyer Ron 21 1/2
16 Cause To Believe 21 1/2
20 Flashy Bull 24 1/2
12 Private Vow 27
4 Sinister Minister 29 3/4
7 Bob and John 31 1/4
10 A.P. Warrior 31 1/4
9 Sharp Humor 32 3/4
3 Keyed Entry 40 1/4

Scratches: None

 

 22.63, 46.07, 1:10.88, 1:37.02, 2:01.36

Attendance: 157,536  Handle: $25,778,648

See below for complete Derby recap:

BARBARO MUCH THE BEST IN DERBY 132

May 6, 2006

Churchill Downs

Louisville, Kentucky

Twenty horses, the maximum allowed, would meet the starter for the 132nd running of the Kentucky Derby.  Among the notable starters would be The Santa Anita Derby winner Brother Derek drawing post 18. Sweetnorthernsaint, the Illinois Derby winner, would break from post 11 while lightly raced and undefeated Florida Derby victor, Barbaro, would break from post 8.  The pre-race hoopla surrounding this years running of the Derby made for intense discussion among those trying to handicap such a large field.  Can Brother Derek overcome such a bad post?  Can Barbaro be fit enough to run after a five week layoff?  Can Sweetnorthernsaint get the lead with all the speed in the race?  You name it and the gurus argued it.  It is one of the hardest things in the world to handicap such a large field, but this field was also pretty accomplished.  In the last few years we have started to see a trend of horsemen training their horses to the Derby instead of racing into fitness and maybe this is why the betting interests were so wide open.  With horses training more and racing less for prep work the variables in handicapping the race are wide and sometimes unknown.  Quite frankly it makes the event much more exciting and potentially more profitable.  In the end it really wouldn’t matter as the winner was far and away the best and it took a mile and a quarter for the racing world to recognize it.

Is it too much to ask a three-year-old colt to go undefeated in his first five starts, take a five week break, and win the Kentucky Derby on the first Saturday in May?  Apparently not!  Trainer Michael Matz had the plan mapped out early and with his win in The Florida Derby, which was run in April, five weeks was more than enough time to have a fresh horse train up to the Derby.  Many pundits thought the strategy of the former Olympic Equestrian and trainer would be a recipe for disaster.  The last horse to win the Derby off of a five week layoff was Needles in 1956.  No need to worry though, Barabaro would receive a perfect ride from Edgar Prado and take the lead at the top of the stretch before opening up to six plus commanding lengths nearing the wire in full control to win the 132nd running of the Kentucky Derby in a final time of 2:01.36. The win put the colt in exclusive company alongside undefeated Derby winners Majestic Prince, Seattle Slew, and Smarty Jones. 

On the human side there were plenty of stories to keep the avid fans attention.  Saving children from a plane crash and having them in attendance for the biggest day of his career could Michael Matz train his colt to victory off the long layoff?  Could Dan Hendricks train Brother Derek to a derby victory after suffering a freak accident which left him paralyzed and in a wheel chair?  With three starters could Bob Baffert win another derby and possibly for recently deceased client and friend Bob Lewis?  With the retirements of Jerry Bailey and Gary Stevens, and the injury to John Velasquez, which jockey would step into the limelight and seize the moment staking his claim to racing immortality?  ESPN and NBC shared these stories throughout the day and as posttime approached the crowd of 157,536 in attendance, the second largest derby crowd on record, could feel that something special might be about to happen.  The unpredictable nature of this run for the roses had a posttime favorite with odds of 5-to-1.   This was a great derby for the bettors.  Twenty starters and large pools would take large amounts of money to move an entrants odds thus making better prices and a greater chance to make some money with a little effort and some luck.  Barbaro would be the second choice at 6-to1 as Sweetnothernsaint would earn the betting favorites title shortly before posttime.  6-to1 for the Derby winner who was undefeated going into the race is nothing short of fantastic for the Derby bettor.  Brother Derek, winner of The Santa Anita Derby, would go off at 7-to-1 and leaving from the poor post 18 would wind up on the outside going into the first turn costing him the race but he did finish up well to place fourth in a dead heat with Jazil.

With the Derby hoopla out of the way we should now see shorter fields for the Preakness and Belmont.  We should also see truer run races as well as some new participants.  Should Barbaro win the Preakenss in two weeks in the same convincing style as the Derby one cannot see a very large field awaiting him in New York.  We may look back at his ability to win the Derby in such an easy fashion as the difference in winning and losing the triple crown.  However, first things first, on to the Preakness and the crab cakes.  Next stop Baltimore! 
 
Kentucky Derby 132 Recap:

The field for the 132nd Edition of the Kentucky Derby was sent off in good order except for Barbaro who stumbled badly at the start.  As the cavalry ran down the stretch for the first time Keyed Entry went to the lead and secured a head length advantage through a 22.63 opening quarter-mile increasing the lead to two lengths getting a 46.07 half-mile.  Sinister Minister took up the chase in second place while Showing Up was forwardly place in third.  Barbaro would recover from a bad start to settle into fourth as Bluegrass Cat tracked Barbaro in fifth as the field moved down the backside.  Keyed Entry was on the lead down the backside by a length and half running three-quarters in 1:10.88.  Sinister Minister was still running second while Showing Up was third, Barbaro fourth with Sweetnorthernsaint moving into the fifth position.  Through the turn Barbaro moved to the leaders and took the lead as the field was entering the stretch.  The new leader would open a three length lead passing the quarter pole getting the mile in 1:37.02.  Showing Up passed Sinister Minister and a tiring Keyed Entry moving into second while Bluegrass Cat had angled out for the stretch run in third.  Sweetnorthernsaint also improved his position to fourth, Sinister Minister back to fifth as Jazil moved up on the rail accelerating in sixth as the field moved through the stretch.  Barbaro now clear was opening up on the front moving to the rail as the rest of the field was somewhat helpless to gain ground on the leader.  Bluegrass Cat was now in the open running second but not gaining on the leader while Steppenwolfer was closing now moving into third.  Jazil was on the inside trying to gain in fourth.  At the wire Barbaro was under hand urging winning the 132nd Derby by six and one-half lengths at the wire in a final time of 2:01.36.  Bluegrass Cat was clearly second best finishing two lengths in front of  Steppenwolfer who out finished Jazil and Brother Derek for third as the later two dead heated for fourth.  Barbaro is a three-year-old colt owned by Lael Stables, trained by Michael Matz and was ridden by Edgar Prado.