Layoff Doesn’t Figure to Slow Down Barbaro

Needles had been off for five weeks before winning the 1956 Kentucky Derby.

Half a century later, Barbaro, who hasn’t started since winning the Florida Derby on April 1 at Gulfstream Park, can match that feat.

Many handicappers are holding Barbaro’s recent idleness against him, apparently forgetting that the unbeaten son of Dynaformer had been idle for nearly two months before his initial Grade I victory in the Florida Derby.

Still, some are dismissing Barbaro only because he has had 35 days between races, instead of the 21 or 28 days all but one of his Derby opponents have had.

Barbaro, who began his career with three easy victories on turf, may not win today’s Kentucky Derby, but it won’t be because he had not raced in five weeks.

If he doesn’t succeed for owners Roy and Gretchen Jackson, who race as Lael Stables, and trainer Michael Matz, it will simply be that he was not good enough on this particular day.

The feeling here, though, is that Barbaro will win the 132nd Derby and will head to the Preakness a perfect six for six.

In a race that figures to have a ridiculously fast early pace, Barbaro, who has been thoroughly professional in all of his victories, can settle early under jockey Edgar Prado, take charge when ready, then brace for the charge of the back runners.

The dark bay, who has had at least 34 days between each of his races, has been managed flawlessly by Matz, so why second-guess him? Barbaro has flourished under his care and has worked well at Churchill.

Lawyer Ron, who was the king of Arkansas this winter, like Smarty Jones and Afleet Alex before him, is probably the one to fear most.

Never beaten on the dirt -- all of his losses have been on turf or the Polytrack at Turfway Park -- Lawyer Ron is versatile and can probably be placed where jockey John McKee wants him to be. While McKee has made no mistakes thus far, he could panic on the big stage today, and, perhaps move the eager colt too soon.

Point Determined is probably trainer Bob Baffert’s best hope of hitting the board. The son of 2001 Preakness and Belmont Stakes winner Point Given has the grinding style that should play well at 1 1/4 miles.

Bob And John and Sinister Minister are Baffert’s other starters and best of luck to them. Bob And John is four for nine but has yet to run particularly fast, and his claim to fame was winning a Wood Memorial last month in which the final three-eighths of a mile were run in a pedestrian 40 2/5 seconds.

Sinister Minister has even less chance. The son of Old Trieste can’t be rated and will almost certainly face pressure early from fellow longshots Sharp Humor and Keyed Entry.

His backers point to the lofty speed figure he earned in winning the Blue Grass Stakes by 12 3/4 lengths three weeks ago at Keeneland, but that race has grown irrelevant. Bandini won the Blue Grass last year, then finished 19th in the Derby. No Blue Grass winner has won the Derby since Strike The Gold in 1991.

Garrett Gomez, who was aboard Sinister Minister for that victory, was so impressed he chose to ride Bob And John.

Brother Derek is the deserving favorite on the morning line, but the California-bred will have to show he can sit off a fast pace and finish, which he has never had to do. He is unbeaten in five races around two turns, but he has gotten perfect trips, either setting or pressing moderate fractions in small fields. That won’t be the case today.

Among the rest, A.P. Warrior and Illinois Derby winner Sweetnorthernsaint are viable longshots, as is deep closer Steppenwolfer.