i_am_the_swammi Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 (edited) Should be an entertaining weekend at Gulfstream....the highly anticipated maiden journey for Barbaro's kid brother, and the first big stakes-race for Smarty Jones', should be interesting to watch.. Would be very cool for Barbaro's sibling to make some noise: Barbaro's brother on display at Gulfstream By Mike Jensen Inquirer Staff Writer A little before 5 o'clock on Saturday afternoon, a horse will enter the starting gate for the first race of his career and he'll overshadow the future Kentucky Derby horses and past Kentucky Derby horses racing at Gulfstream Park that day - because he's Barbaro's brother. That's half of a remarkable hour at Gulfstream. The race before, the most promising son of Smarty Jones finds out if he is a Kentucky Derby candidate. The first appearance of Nicanor, Barbaro's younger brother, steals the headline spot. The 3-year-old bay colt is owned by Roy and Gretchen Jackson, trained by Michael Matz, and will be ridden by Edgar Prado. It is the same group responsible for the undefeated Barbaro, who won the 2006 Kentucky Derby only to suffer catastrophic leg fractures two weeks later at the Preakness and spend eight months at the New Bolton Center in Kennett Square before being euthanized Jan. 29, 2007. Even in a sport where bloodlines mean so much, the same genes don't mean the same or even similar results. "To me, [barbaro] was a horse in a lifetime," said Peter Brette, assistant trainer to Matz. Brette exercised Barbaro and now does the same for Nicanor. "If Nicanor turns out to be a stakes winner, we'll be over the moon, I'm sure." "It would be a miracle if he was 50 percent as good as Barbaro was," Roy Jackson said yesterday of Nicanor. After entering Nicanor yesterday in a $40,000 maiden special weight race for 3-year-olds, Matz said that if anybody knew the horse and didn't know he was Barbaro's brother, "I think they'd be happy to have him in their barn." For him, of course, the horse means more, harkening back to some of the best days of his career and some of the toughest. Nicanor's name comes from the same place that Barbaro's did, a painting of foxhounds that hangs in the Jacksons' home in Chester County. "Barbaro did so much for us," Matz said. "If it brings us back memories of him, that's not so bad." Matz, who lives outside Coatesville, took it slow with Nicanor. "Four weeks ago, I wouldn't have been really happy with him [racing] here," said Brette, the assistant. "He's just come on after every breeze. He's a little behind, but the way he's improved in six weeks is amazing. I think this race will tell us an awful lot. I think he'll come around so much quicker after he's in a race." Nicanor is entered in the eighth race at Gulfstream, post-time 4:43 p.m. About 30 minutes earlier, a 3-year-old named Rockland, also trained by Matz, is supposed to head to the gate for the $150,000 Grade III Holy Bull Stakes, an early Kentucky Derby prep. Matz said he feels bad that Nicanor is taking so much of the attention since it is a big day at Gulfstream, with the Holy Bull and the day's featured race, the $500,000 Donn Handicap for 4-year-olds and up. Chester County-bred Great Hunter, a Kentucky Derby horse last year, is entered in the Donn. The Holy Bull will be the race Derby watchers are checking out. Barbaro won it three years ago. Rockland is a son of 2004 Kentucky Derby winner Smarty Jones, part of the first crop of 3-year-olds produced by the former Philadelphia Park sensation. Rockland isn't expected to be the favorite, but appears to be the most developed of the Smarty babies. "He doesn't like to win by very much, but he wins," Matz said of Rockland, who has prevailed twice in three starts. This race will tell Matz whether Rockland should be in consideration for this year's Kentucky Derby, he said. "I'll certainly see where I fit in the picture - if I'm in that category or if I have to rechart another path," Matz said. Edited January 29, 2009 by i_am_the_swammi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tazinib1 Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 When I went to the Belmont Stakes in 2005 or 2006 (can't remember off hand), there was a gigantic Get Well Barbaro card on the wall of the main building entrance. Me and my buddies all waited in line to sign the thing. During the signing, the jockey of Barbaro on that faitful fall came out and said some words to the crowd. He didn't make it very far before he broke down and cried. It was quite a somber experience in all honesty. At the time, that Get Well Card was the biggest in history according to Guiness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big John Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 When I went to the Belmont Stakes in 2005 or 2006 (can't remember off hand), there was a gigantic Get Well Barbaro card on the wall of the main building entrance. 2006 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HowboutthemCowboys Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 When I went to the Belmont Stakes in 2005 or 2006 (can't remember off hand), there was a gigantic Get Well Barbaro card on the wall of the main building entrance. Me and my buddies all waited in line to sign the thing. During the signing, the jockey of Barbaro on that faitful fall came out and said some words to the crowd. He didn't make it very far before he broke down and cried. It was quite a somber experience in all honesty. At the time, that Get Well Card was the biggest in history according to Guiness. Edgar Prado. Wanted to watch this weekend but instead, I'll be at work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HowboutthemCowboys Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 Nicanor ran 10th of 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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