Barber Road Breezes in Preparation for Arkansas Derby

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Barber Road Breezes in Preparation for Arkansas Derby
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Photo: Coady Photography
Barber Road (outside) breezes with Greatheart at Oaklawn Park

Barber Road  moved closer to a scheduled start in the $1.25 million Arkansas Derby (G1) April 2 with a half-mile work in tandem with stablemate and maiden Greatheart  in :48 1/5 March 19 at Oaklawn Park.

"Today, we were just doing a little maintenance half-mile in company to keep him fresh and on his toes," trainer John Ortiz said. "We were trying to see a better gallop out, just something really strong after the wire. So, he went nice and steady. I got him in :48 and change and like a minute galloping out, so that's kind of what I wanted to see. He looked a lot more fresh. He's been acting fresher and I'm hoping that's going to be the key to get him a little quicker out of the gate, get him a little bit closer to the lead."

Barber Road, who races for former Walmart executive William Simon's WSS Racing, breezed for the first time since finishing third, beaten a half-length, in the $1 million Rebel Stakes (G2) at 1 1/16 miles Feb. 26. The Rebel was Oaklawn's final major prep for the 1 1/8-mile Arkansas Derby.

The consistent Barber Road finished second in Oaklawn's first two Kentucky Derby points races— Smarty Jones Stakes at 1 mile Jan. 1 and Southwest Stakes (G3) at 1 1/16 miles Jan. 29—and has never been worse than fourth in seven career starts. Barber Road ranks 12th on the Kentucky Derby Leaderboard with 18 points. A top-four finish in the Arkansas Derby likely would secure Barber Road a spot in the Kentucky Derby, which is limited to 20 starters.

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Ortiz said Barber Road will have his final work for the Arkansas Derby March 26.

Other horses pointing for the Arkansas Derby include star filly Secret Oath , Un Ojo , Chasing Time , We the People , and Cyberknife.

With Florent Geroux committed to Cyberknife, Flavien Prat will ride We the People in the Arkansas Derby, the latter's trainer, Rodolphe Brisset, said Saturday.

We the People had been under consideration for several other major Kentucky Derby points races before Brisset chose to keep the Constitution   colt at Oaklawn following his five-length entry-level allowance victory at 1 1/16 miles March 12.

"He's 2 for 2 here," Brisset said. "We just felt like it was the normal, logical step. If he does good, that will give us five weeks (before the Kentucky Derby) and gives us time to ship him wherever we want and let him adapt and go from there."

Trainer Mike Puhich said Saturday morning that Call Me Jamal , a two-time winner at the meeting, remains under consideration for the Arkansas Derby and the $1 million Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G1) at 1 1/8 miles April 9 at Keeneland. He said he is leaning toward running him at Oaklawn.

With Honeybee Stakes (G3) winner Secret Oath headed to the Arkansas Derby, the Golden Rod Stakes (G2) winner Dream Lith  is one of the headliners for the $600,000 Fantasy Stakes (G3) April 2. The Fantasy is a major qualifier for the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) at Churchill Downs May 6.

Golden Rod runner-up Yuugiri  is also expected for the race, as is Beguine .

Honeybee runner-up Ice Orchid  will miss the Fantasy because of a physical setback, Ortiz said.