Fame and Power zips to victory in Sir Barton

BALTIMORE – Trainer Bob Baffert experimented with trying to get Fame and Power to relax but ultimately realized he was taking away the colt’s best weapon – his speed.

On Saturday, Baffert equipped Fame and Power with blinkers to ensure he would be focused and in front, and Fame and Power cruised to a three-length, front-running victory in the $100,000 Sir Barton Stakes, the “other” race for 3-year-olds on Saturday’s 14-race Preakness card at Pimlico.

Breaking from the rail under Martin Garcia, Fame and Power made the lead entering the first turn, ran fractions of 23.51 seconds for the quarter, 46.70 for the half-mile, and 1:10.45 for six furlongs, and never was seriously threatened as he won his first stakes race.

Fame and Power, a son of First Defence owned by Juddmonte Farms, covered 1 1/16 miles in 1:41.67 and returned $6 as the second choice.

“I took blinkers off [last December] to see if I could get him to relax a little bit, but he just wasn’t as focused,” Baffert said. “He’s a really nice horse. He got his trip today. He ran fast, too.”

Fame and Power was making his second start around two turns. He finished third behind Divining Rod in the Grade 2 Lexington Stakes on April 11 at Keeneland.

“The last time was first time out going a distance – he got a little tired,” said Garcia, who did not ride him in the Lexington. “Today was his second time to go a distance, and he was just cruising.”

Fame and Power is not Triple Crown nominated, so there would be no thought about running in the Belmont Stakes. Baffert believes he may actually be a better one-turn horse.

Bold Conquest, fifth in the Arkansas Derby, outfinished Donworth by a nose for second. Donworth was the 3-2 favorite based on a visually impressive maiden win at Gulfstream and a second-place over Fame and Power in the Lexington.

Donworth was a bit rank while wide around the first turn and just ran evenly throughout.

“He got away awkwardly, and I think it really hurt,” said Graham Motion, the trainer of Donworth. “He ended up getting shuffled back a little farther than we would have liked to have been. It was a decent effort. We’ve kind of thrown a lot at him pretty quick. Inexperience catches up with them.”