Barbaros brother close to debut, Prado will ride January 27th, 2009
Barbaros brother is near the starting gate.
Nicanor, a full brother of the 2006 Kentucky Derby winner whose story captivated the racing world for months, will race for the first time either this weekend or next, trainer Michael Matz said Monday.
Nicanor had a solid five-furlong work Sunday at the Palm Meadows Training Center in Boynton Beach, Fla., and if all goes as planned, the 3-year-old colt will either race on dirt at Gulfstream Park this weekend or in a turf race the weekend of Feb. 7.
Hes getting there. Either one of the two, said Matz, who also was Barbaros trainer. Im not sure yet. When we get him back to the track, well see how he is.
A decision will likely come Wednesday, when entries are made for the Saturday card at Gulfstream.
Hall of Fame jockey Edgar Pradowho also rode Barbaro and called his time aboard the horse the best trip of my lifewill be aboard Nicanor for the colts debut, Matz said. Prado rode Nicanor during a workout two weeks ago at Palm Meadows.
The first three races of Barbaros career were on turf before he switched to the dirt for the Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream and won, pointing him toward the 2006 Derby.
Barbaro won the Run for the Roses by 6 1/2 lengthsthe largest victory margin for a Derby winner in 60 yearsbut saw his racing career come to a dramatic end at the Preakness, when he shattered three bones in his right hind leg in the opening strides of that race.
He defied the odds by surviving for eight months and enduring close to two dozen surgeries before being euthanized because of complications related to laminitis, an often life-threatening problem in horses who shift their weight to one leg in order to keep pressure off another injured limb.
The second anniversary of Barbaros death is Thursday, and theres a certain irony that Nicanors debut could come on what will be a bittersweet weekend for Barbaros connectionsMatz and owners Roy and Gretchen Jackson.
He has worked like a nice horse, Matz said. We just have to see. But yes, Im excited to have him in the barn right now.