Barbados back from injury for Carry Back Stakes
Trainer Mike Tomlinson tinkered with the idea of trying Barbados in longer races on the Triple Crown trail until it all became moot when the colt was sidelined with a tiny knee chip.
Tomlinson is hoping the time off will prove a blessing in disguise when Barbados returns to action Sunday at Gulfstream Park in the Carry Back Stakes.
“I do think he could go longer, but what we’re focused on now is having him back healthy,” said Tomlinson. “He’s trained as well as I could’ve hoped for.”
In a three-week span in January, Barbados won the Spectacular Bid and Hutcheson at Gulfstream to enter into the Kentucky Derby discussion. Barbados underwent surgery in Kentucky in early February, and his subsequent recovery and return to training have proceeded to plan.
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Luis Saez has the mount back on Barbados, who will break from post 8 in a field of 10 3-year-olds entered in the Carry Back, one of nine stakes on a terrific Summit of Speed card.
The comeback spot is not an easy one for Barbados, as the opposition includes Rod McLeod, a last-out allowance winner at Churchill Downs; My Point Exactly, making an interesting turnback and surface switch for Bill Kaplan; Grand Bili, who attracts Javier Castellano as a likely pace factor; and A M Milky Way, shipping in from Louisiana for high-percentage trainer Karl Broberg.
The Carry Back is carded as the ninth of 12 races and will follow its sister race, the Azalea Stakes (race 7), by about one hour. Both are Grade 3, $150,000 races at seven furlongs on the main track.
The Azalea drew a well-matched cast of nine 3-year-old fillies, with Huasca, Dogwood Trail, Warriorscmoutoplay, and I’m a Looker all likely to draw scattered wagering action.
Carry Back, Race 9
KEY CONTENDERS
Barbados (Last 3 Beyers: 92-95-81)
◗ Layoff is the obvious question for a colt who went back-to-back in a couple of prestigious sprint stakes here in January; trainer has won with three of his last 20 starters when returning from a layoff of 61 to 180 days.
◗ Colt shows six workouts since late May at Tomlinson’s primary base at Churchill Downs, including several swift ones.
Grand Bili (Last 3 Beyers: 91-62-84)
◗ Some bettors will like that Castellano takes the call, especially off the sharp runner-up finish four weeks ago in a prep toward this; has never run a bad one over the local surface.
A M Milky Way (Last 3 Beyers: 93-80-89)
◗ Difficult to say how his form will match up after having already raced in five different states; worth noting that Broberg is the runaway leader in wins on the continent this year.
Azalea, Race 7
KEY CONTENDERS
Huasca (Last 3 Beyers: 85-86-87)
◗ Gray filly has become a model of consistency by finishing first or second in seven of her nine career starts; liable to sit a good inside trip under Eddie Castro while seeing several outside of her go sailing off to the lead, including Dogwood Trail and Fond of Sarah.
Warriorscmoutoplay (Last 3 Beyers: 82-85-82)
◗ After losing six races to start her career, she has really caught on by winning each of her last three starts; ships in from Chicago for top trainer Mike Stidham, who keeps Jamie Theriot aboard.