Brother, where art thou? In one of the most eagerly anticipated racetrack debuts ever, Nicanor, a 3-year-old full brother to the star-crossed Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro, was an also-ran, finishing 10th in yesterday’s eighth race at Gulfstream Park.
The race came two years and two days after the death of Barbaro, who shattered his leg in the 2006 Preakness after winning the Derby in a runaway. The courageous colt became a national hero as he battled for his life, finally succumbing eight months later to the dreaded hoof disease laminitis.
Like Barbaro, Nicanor was sired by Dynaformer, out of the mare La Ville Rouge, bred and owned by Gretchen and Roy Jackson’s Lael Stable, and trained by Michael Matz. Ridden by Barbaro’s jockey, Edgar Prado, Nicanor opened as the 2-5 favorite, drifting to 5-2 by post time. He broke a bit slowly in the mile maiden race, rushed up to fifth heading into the turn, but had nothing left for the drive and dropped back steadily to finish 25 lengths behind the 30-1 winner, Warrior’s Reward.
He grabbed the quarter (heel) of his left front leg leaving the gate,” Matz said. “He wasn’t comfortable, so Edgar just wrapped up on him.
“I know he’s better than that,” Prado said.
The fascination with Nicanor has been building for the past year. One blogger wrote last June: “He’s been called the ‘Ghost of Barbaro.’ Already, people are clamoring to see him run his first race. His name is Nicanor and he might be the savior horse racing has been looking for.”
Last Wednesday, Nicanor was profiled on the CBS Evening News.
“I hope lightning can strike twice, but if he doesn’t, I understand,” Matz told CBS. “‘He was a pretty good horse, Barbaro, and I dont know if there’s one as good as he is.”