Barber Road gets final tune-up for Rebel Stakes
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Barber Road had his final work for the Grade 2, $1 million Rebel on Monday, breezing a half-mile in company at Oaklawn Park. He is the probable second choice to Newgrange after finishing second to that one in last month’s Southwest Stakes.
Barber Road worked in 48 seconds under jockey Reylu Gutierrez, who will be aboard in the Rebel.
“It was nothing but a maintenance workout, just for him to stretch his legs,” trainer John Ortiz said Monday. “He broke off behind his company and he stayed behind up until the eighth pole, when he joined him.”
The horses finished on even terms. Ortiz had Barber Road’s final quarter in 23 seconds. He said Tuesday that Barber Road emerged from the work in good order and was “full of energy.”
Barber Road races for WSS Racing.