Barbadian Runner uses bold move to take down off-turf Jersey Derby

The $100,000 Jersey Derby at Monmouth Park Saturday was taken off the turf and five horses scratched, leaving three runners to scrap on dirt for a disproportionately large purse. Even under the less-than-compelling circumstances, 3-year-old gelding Barbadian Runner still managed to put on a show, winning his third stakes this year by 7 1/4 lengths with a bold move on the far turn.

After winning two $100,000 stakes at Laurel Park this winter, trainer Henry Walters decided that he wanted to try Barbadian Runner on the turf. The gelding ran well enough in the $100,000 James W. Murphy at Pimlico to continue down that path, but the weather this weekend created another opportunity.

When the Jersey Derby came off the turf Saturday, there was no doubt that Walters would run him at a mile on dirt. He won the $100,000 Miracle Wood at the distance in February, defeating Preakness runner Pay Billy. There were no Triple Crown entrants in the field Saturday.

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“Thankfully, my horse liked the mud,” Walters said. “It got sloppy real quick.”

The Monmouth track had dried out earlier in the day but another round of showers about an hour before the Jersey Derby ensured sloppy conditions.

After breaking sharply and briefly leading out of the gate, Barbadian Runner and jockey Samuel Marin dropped back to last in the field of three entering the first turn. Quizler, a colt trained by Kelly Breen, kicked clear early and completed the opening half-mile in 47 seconds. He was the longshot in the field at 9-2 odds.

“I wanted him to break sharp and get into the race a little early, make the other two work a little bit to get to the first turn, then let him settle back and run his own race,” Walters said.

Cool Intentions, entered for main track only by trainer Jorge Delgado, settled behind Quizler on the backstretch and began challenging for the lead in earnest entering the far turn. By the time he made his move to pass, however, Barbadian Runner had already made up nearly four lengths and angled out to circle both runners on the far outside.

That powerful burst of speed effectively ended the race. Walters’s gelding entered the stretch in firm command and pulled away at will in the stretch. He competed the mile over the sloppy track in 1:36.66 and provided a healthy $5.80 payout to win. Cool Intentions, the 2-5 favorite, was a much closer runner-up in the $100,000 Long Branch last time out, finishing 1 3/4 lengths ahead of Quizler.

Barbadian Runner is obviously due for more stakes company this summer, but for now, Walters remains unsure of his next start. He isn’t even sure of the surface.

This week, the trainer cross-entered him in the Grade 2 Penn Mile, a turf event that was postponed by rain, so he is technically still nominated to run there on June 20. Walters is considering several races on dirt as well.

He intends to nominate the gelding for the first running of the $200,000 Delaware Derby at 1 1/16 miles on June 14. He could also keep him in the barn until July 26 and bring him back at seven furlongs for the state-restricted $100,000 Reigh Count at Colonial Downs.

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