Newgrange Exits Southwest Well; Barber Road Eyes Derby

Though it was the Bob Baffert-trained Newgrange  who came out on top in the Jan. 29 Southwest Stakes (G3) at Oaklawn Park, it is runner-up Barber Road  who collected the most qualifying points from the race toward a spot in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1).

"Aiming for the Kentucky Derby now," John Ortiz, who trains Barber Road for WSS Racing, said in a text message to Oaklawn media Sunday. "The dream is finally feeling very realistically possible. So, the next step would be the Rebel (G2). Thoughts about going to Dubai have been put on the table as well, but most likely we'd love to stay home and run over the track he is loving right now."

Barber Road, by Race Day , collected four points for his runner-up finish Saturday and now has eight overall to rank 13th on the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard. The Kentucky Derby is limited to 20 starters, with starting preference based on horses with highest point totals accumulated in qualifying races.

Although the Southwest offered 17 points (10-4-2-1, respectively) to the top four finishers, Newgrange was running for purse money only because of Baffert's suspension from Churchill Downs. The suspension followed 2021 Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Medina Spirit's positive post-race test showing betamethasone, a corticosteroid prohibited on race day in Kentucky. A ruling has yet to be issued by Kentucky stewards, but a hearing is scheduled for Feb. 7. Baffert trainees are ineligible to collect Kentucky Derby qualifying points due to the suspension.

"I'm not going to worry about that right now," Baffert said in a phone interview with Oaklawn media moments after the Southwest.

In a text message Sunday morning, Baffert said Newgrange emerged in "great" shape physically from his Southwest victory and would be flown back to his Southern California base Tuesday.

Newgrange and grade 3 winners Rockefeller  and Messier  were Baffert's three nominees to the Southwest, which is Oaklawn's second of four Kentucky Derby points races.

Newgrange and Messier worked against each other in a half-mile drill Jan. 23 at Santa Anita Park. Both horses were credited with :47 1/5, which ranked second of 114 times published at the distance.

Baffert, subsequently, opted to keep Messier home for the Feb. 6 Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G3) and send Newgrange to Oaklawn for the Southwest. The colt arrived Wednesday—a day later than originally scheduled—following a flight from Southern California.

"I thought this horse kind of had a good mind," Baffert said. "The ship in there is a little bit tougher now. You've got to go to Memphis (about 190 miles northeast of Hot Springs, Ark., where Oaklawn is) and get them a van. I thought Newgrange's got a great mind and Messier's going to run here in the Bob Lewis with some other ones. Try to spread them out, try to see where they fit. So, that was the reason."

Also under consideration for the Lewis is Doug O'Neill-trained debut winner Happy Jack , while stablemate and Los Alamitos Futurity winner Slow Down Andy  is being considered for an an out-of-town stakes.

Newgrange stalked the pace in third in the Southwest. Jockey John Velazquez took the colt four wide before continuing on to a 1 1/2-length win over Barber Road, who was rallying from 11th under Ricardo Santana Jr.

"I think he needed it (in the Southwest)," Baffert said of Newgrange. "He had to really gut it out. Turning for home, I wasn't sure. Then, he came on. I thought it was a good spot for him and, hopefully, he just continues on. He showed (Saturday) he's a pretty solid horse. I always try to bring my best horses up there that are doing the best."

Baffert said next-race plans are pending for Newgrange, a son of Violence   owned by SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Robert Masterson, Stonestreet Stables, Jay Schoenfarber, Waves Edge Capital, Catherine Donovan, Golconda Stable, and Siena Farm.

Oaklawn's Kentucky Derby prep series continues with the Rebel Stakes at 1 1/16 miles Feb. 26 and the Arkansas Derby (G1) at 1 1/8 miles April 2. Baffert has won the Rebel a record eight times.

"We'll definitely have something for the Rebel," Baffert said. "I just don't know which one."

The Rebel will offer 85 total points (50-20-10-5) to the top four finishers. The Arkansas Derby is a 170-point race (100-40-20-10).