Triple Crown talk begins for Barbaro

Trainer Michael Matz was holding court outside his barn, his Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro just a few yards away munching grass.

Barely 12 hours after Barbaro become just the sixth undefeated Derby winner, Triple Crown talk filled the air. It happens every Sunday after the first Saturday in May, when hopes are high in thoroughbred racing that a superstar has arrived to revive the sport.

“You always want to have a horse you can say can win the Triple Crown,” Matz said. “We think this is a terrific horse with tremendous ability. If I told you I didn’t think in the long haul that we’d have a Triple Crown winner I’d be lying to you.”

It’s been 28 years since Affirmed became the last Triple Crown champion, and if Barbaro wins the Preakness in two weeks, it would set the stage for a fourth Triple try in the past five years.

Barbaro, now 6 for 6, came out of the Derby in great shape. Exercise rider Peter Brette told the trainer Barbaro was feeing so good “you could enter him again tomorrow.”

“We’ll try to keep him at this level for the next two races and hopefully he’ll become a famous horse,” Matz said. “All we can do is try our best and hopefully he’ll help us out.”

Preakness field takes shape

Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro will face several familiar rivals in the Preakness on May 20, including beaten favorite Sweetnorthernsaint.

Brother Derek, who finished in a dead heat for fourth with Jazil, also will give it another go, along with Lawyer Ron, who was 12th. Sweetnorthernsaint was seventh as the 5-1 favorite.

Jazil, trained by Kiaran McLaughlin, is possible for the 1 3/16 -mile race at Pimlico.

New horses expected for the second leg of the Triple Crown include Gotham winner Like Now, Withers winner Bernardini and Simon Pure, who finished fourth in the Arkansas Derby for trainer D. Wayne Lukas.

Trainer Bob Baffert said he’d wait a few days before deciding whether to send any of his three Derby starters, Point Determined (ninth), Sinister Minister (16th) and Bob and John (17th).

Derby runner-up Bluegrass Cat was unlikely for the Preakness, trainer Todd Pletcher said.

He added that his last-place finisher, Keyed Entry, most likely would make his next start in the Riva Ridge on the Belmont Stakes undercard.

Steppenwolfer, who finished third, will be pointed to the Belmont, trainer Dan Peitz said.

Prado triple winner Sunday

One day after winning the Kentucky Derby aboard Barbaro, Edgar Prado rode three winners at Belmont Park on Sunday.

The trio of victories included the featured $110,600 Bouwerie Stakes for New York-bred 3-year-old fillies.

“This is a good end to a big weekend,” Prado said.

In the Bouwerie, Prado teamed with Oprah Winney to post a front-running score by three-quarters of a length. The gray filly ran the seven furlongs on the fast track in 1:23.93.