Zedan Racing Stables' Barnes made a triumphant return to the winner's circle Oct. 18, soaring to an 8 1/4-length win in the $350,000 Perryville Stakes (G3) at Keeneland.
The connections could breathe a sigh of relief following the colt's second graded stakes score, his first win since capturing the San Vicente Stakes (G2) in January. After a brief stint on the Kentucky Derby (G1) trail, Barnes finished a game third when reverting back to his preferred sprint distances in the H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course in August. A month later, he lined up as the seemingly unbeatable heavy favorite in Parx Racing's Gallant Bob Stakes (G2), only to finish a frustrating fourth.
Shipping back to his California base, trainer Bob Baffert had Barnes—named for Baffert's longtime assistant Jimmy Barnes—back and ready to fire his best in the Perryville. In his two breezes following the Gallant Bob, the son of Into Mischief lit up the Santa Anita Park work tab, drilling a pair of 5-furlongs works in :58 4/5 and :59 4/5 as his leadup into Saturday's 7-furlong contest.
Barnes' stablemate, Gaming, was scratched, leaving just five 3-year-olds to compete in the Perryville.
Breaking a step behind the others, jockey Jose Ortiz went to work early on Barnes, hustling the colt into contention as the field raced down the backstretch. Sitting just off the front-runner's flank, Barnes applied steady pressure to Taylor's Version as the Dale Romans trainee clicked off an opening quarter-mile in :21.69. As the pair headed into the far turn, Barnes found a new gear under Ortiz, wresting the lead at the quarter pole and drawing clear of his opposition.
"Today I talked to Bob earlier, and he wanted me to break out of there very aggressive and put him forward," Ortiz said. "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 and Bob for giving me the opportunity to ride this amazing horse."
Captain Cook, the 3-5 post-time favorite following career-best performance in the Jerkens (where he was second by a nose to Patch Adams ), was second. The Practical Joke colt, positioned further off the pace than normal under Irad Ortiz Jr., closed but couldn't make up any ground on the runaway winner.
Owen Almighty, making his second start since a fifth-place effort in the Kentucky Derby, was third, followed by Rolando and Taylor's Version.
Barnes ($5.22) completed the 7 furlongs on a fast main track in 1:23.45.
Bred in Kentucky by Jeff Drown and Don Rachel, Barnes is the first foal out of the American Pharoah mare All American Dream. While Barnes is the mare's only starter and winner from two foals of racing age, she has produced two seven-figure yearlings, including Barnes, who sold for $3.2 million at The Saratoga Sale, Fasig-Tipton's select yearling sale, in 2023. The mare's 2024 foal, a filly by Flightline named Dream Flight, brought $1.1 million at this year's Saratoga sale.
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