Barnes sweeping away by 8¼ lengths. (Keeneland Photo)
Keeneland Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – In the five-horse Perryville for 3-year-olds, Barnes turned it into a one-horse race by grabbing the lead at the top of the stretch and powering to an 8¼-length victory over Captain Cook.
Trained by Bob Baffert and ridden by Jose Ortiz, Barnes completed the 7 furlongs on a fast track in 1:23.45. For Baffert, it is his third victory in the race with the previous wins coming in 2006 with Midnight Lute and in the inaugural running in 1999 with National Saint.
Taylor’s Version set the pace through fractions of :21.69 and :44.18 with Barnes stalking just to his outside. Approaching the far turn, Ortiz moved Barnes closer and then took charge at the top of the stretch and drew off.
Barnes is a Kentucky-bred son of Into Mischief out of the American Pharoah mare All American Dream. Now a two-time graded stakes winner, Barnes improved his record to 7-3-1-1 and boosted his earnings to $557,750 with Saturday’s $217,000 check.
Barnes returned $5.22, $2.58 and $2.16. Captain Cook, ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., easily claimed second and returned $2.78 and $2.10 with Owen Almighty finishing another 4½ lengths back in third and returning $2.78 under Luis Saez.
Rolando and Taylor’s Version completed the order of finish.
Racing continues Sunday with a nine-race program beginning at 1 p.m. ET and headlined by the 34th running of the $350,000 Rood & Riddle Dowager (G3) for fillies and mares going 1½ miles on the grass.
Quotes from the $350,000 Perryville (G3) at Keeneland
Jose Ortiz (winning rider of Barnes): “In the race at Saratoga (two starts back, when third in the Aug. 23 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial-G1), around the three-eighths pole he wanted to go and I was behind a wall of horses, so I had to wait. He’s a big horse; it took him a while to get going. I feel like he was the best horse that day.
“Today I talked to (trainer) Bob (Baffert) earlier, and he wanted me to break out of there very aggressive and put him forward. The horse helped me, and I did just that. He finished the race running. I was very happy with the performance. He was ready today. I want to thank the owner (Zedan Racing Stables) and Bob for giving me the opportunity to ride this amazing horse.”
Irad Ortiz Jr. (rider of runner-up and beaten favorite Captain Cook): “He broke great. Strong pace. I got a good shot, but that horse (Barnes) kept going. We lost to the best today.”
Luis Saez (rider of third-place finisher Owen Almighty): “A pretty good trip. There was a lot of pace. He broke from the wall (of horses) and was traveling nice. Good effort.”
