Over the weekend of July 11, the group “Fans of Barbaro,” held its three-day “Celebration of Barbaro,” which took place at various venues around Delaware Park. 

One of the main events of the celebration was an auction/fundraiser at Timothy’s near Newark, Del., July 12. According to Liz Harris, the executive director of Thoroughbred Charities of America, 115 people attended and well over $5,000 was raised.

Other scheduled activities included a Cajun/Jazz festival in Kennett Square July 11, a day at Fair Hill July 12, and a barbeque in the Grove at Delaware Park July 13.

During the trip to Fair Hill, trainer Michael Matz brought out Nicanor, Barbaro’s 2-year-old full brother, for fans to see.

“They all got to see Nicanor,” said Alex Brown, who runs www.alexbrownracing.com, a site that initially focused on Barbaro's recovery and has shifted to addressing Barbaro's ongoing legacy. “That was very good, especially since he had worked the day before. Michael Matz brought him out and jogged him a mile so they could see him.”

Although he was not in attendance, Alex has put up pictures of Nicanor from that day. If you would like to see them, please visit: http://alexbrownracing.com/wiki/index.php/Nicanor

Last year’s Celebration of Barbaro raised more than $20,000 for Thoroughbred rescue and laminitis research through TCA.

So, were any of you readers in attendance? If so, feel free to share your stories!

Photo of Nicanor galloping by Lydia Williams, TheShedrow.com 

On the morning of the June 7 Belmont Stakes (gr. I), a race his brother didn’t get to try in 2006, Roy and Gretchen Jackson’s Nicanor recorded his first published work at Fair Hill Training Center.

Trainer Michael Matz sent the brother of late 2006 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) winner Barbaro (Dynaformer-La Ville Rouge, by Carson City) through an easy three furlongs on the dirt track. Under assistant trainer Peter Brette, the 2-year-old colt clocked in :39 seconds flat, 16^th best of 24 at the distance.

The best time for three furlongs that morning was :35.80, set by the unraced 2-year-old Desert Warrior filly Jerboa.  

When posting a first official work, trainers seek a solid effort from their starter. A young horse will not be asked for too much run, but will be "set down" to the task by the rider and given the opportunity to display innate talent. An initial official work is generally shorter (less taxing) and slower (undemanding), but the trainer is still hoping for a time that will not prove embarrassing to the horse or his connections.

In other words, Nicanor did just fine!  

Captured via telephone as he was wrapping up his feeding chores at Fair Hill on a soft summer afternoon, Peter Brette paused to answer a selection of the questions submitted by Nicanor readers. The colt breezed an eighth of a mile last Saturday, and did it quite nicely. Of course, going such a short distance, that little effort was not timed. But bigger things are on the way! Expect an official breeze by the end of the month. 

Q. Is Nicanor going to be getting a nice brass name plate outside of his stall?
A. No, we just have little name plates that we write the names on with a marker.

Q. Do you have a stable name for him?
A. I call him "Nicky Knocks," which is also what I call my son, Nicholas.

Q. What's he like in the barn?
A. In the barn he's superb. He's incredible to be around; a very kind horse.

Q. How does he compare to Barbaro as far as size and movement is concerned?
A. He moves beautifully. He's a bit smaller than barbaro, probably about 15.3 or maybe a little taller than that.

Q. I was wondering what you think of the Tapeta surface? Is it slippery or heavy?
A. He went great on both surfaces. Tapeta is not slippery at all, it's a super surface to train on.

Q. How is Nicanor progressing compared with the other two-year-olds?
A. He's right where he's supposed to be very happy with him

Q. What does he do after supper? How does he spend his evenings?
A. He actually just chills out, he's a chilled out horse.

Q. I was wondering how you teach him to respect the rein and hand. Does Michael want the babies like Nicanor off the bridle? What kind of bit does he go in? 
A. He goes in a regular noseband and a regular eggbutt snaffle. He's very nice to rest off the bridle and that's the way we like to keep him at the moment; we don't want our younger horses to be too hard on themsleves yet.

Q. Is Nicanor learning his lead changes yet? How are they going?
A. He does know his changes - he knew them when he came from Stephens Thoroughbreds; they do a superb job of teaching the young horses there.

Q. Is anyone thinking about trying or training Nicanor on the turf?
A. I don't think so; not at this stage anyway. We didn't train Barbaro over the turf at all.

Q. How similar is Nicanor's gallop or stride to Barbaro's stride or gallop?
A. He's gonna be a very powerful horse. He moves beautifully. Whether moves exactly like Barbaro, not at the moment, but he has a lot of developing to do. 

Q. Have the Jacksons been out to visit Nicanor at Fair Hill? What are their thoughts on the little guy?
A. Yes, they've been out several times and they're excited to see him in training.

Q. When Nicanor drinks does he plunge his nose deep into the water or does he just drink it from the surface?
A. Just from surface, from what I've gathered.

Q. Is there any chance he won't race at two? I'd like to see him have a strong campaign as a 3+ year old, and using Curlin as an example, perhaps letting him develop more before racing would be best for Nicanor in the long run.
A. We'll run him when he tells us to run him. We're certainly not going to be in a rush to see him off. 

Q. I live near Fair Hill. Can I come and visit Nicanor? Should I call first?
A. We're not taking visitors at this time - Mrs. Jackson basically just wants him to be left alone to focus on his training and being a horse for now. I'm pretty sure as time goes by and he gets ready to race that people will have better access to him, but this is his time to get settled in and learn to do his job.

As some of you have noted, a new video of Lentenor as a yearling is available on the Mill Ridge website. Also, a quick conversation with Peter Brette yielded some information on how Nicanor is adjusting to his new routine at Fair Hill. If any of you have particular questions for Peter - Related to Nicanor only, please - leave them here in the comments section and I will do my best to put together an informal Q&A for our next update.

As of this morning, here's what we know:

Nicanor is settling well into his routine at Fair Hill, although the past few days have been pretty rainy and have disrupted training as far as the dirt surface is concerned. For the past few days, Peter has taken Nicanor over the Tapeta surface rather than the dirt track, which has been a little sloppy.

"His daily routine right now is just galloping over a mile," Peter said. "He's just getting into his routine and went to the track this morning for a gallop as usual. Normally we'll jog the wrong way but when we're on the Tapeta it's much easier to take the younger horses the right way and just break straight into a gallop because it's a pretty narrow track. If the dirt is good we'll take him over the dirt, but we've been on Tapeta the past couple times because of the rain."

Peter is the one riding Nicanor, of course. He repeated the previous observations of the horsemen who have handled the Dynaformer colt before: he has a super personality, does everything right, and is a nice horse to be around.

"He's not too bad under saddle," Peter said. "He's pretty straightforward and well-balanced. We'll probably gallop another three weeks and end up galloping a mile and a quarter or mile and three-eighths before we move on to quicker work with him."

Nicanor leaves Stephens Thoroughbreds at 11:00 a.m., taking one last walk through tree-lined paths leading from spacious barns. With his legs wrapped in shipping bandages and his halter taped to prevent rubbing, the Dynaformer colt is alert and well-behaved. He takes a final look at his surroundings. He does not cause a commotion.

The Blood-Horse is there, represented by photographer Louise Reinagel. Photos are taken, the colt’s history recorded. His supervisors are graciously accommodating. They say good-bye.

Vincente Gordstieta leads his charge onto the Brook Ledge van and turns him loose inside the spacious box stall. He gives Nicanor a final pat, but the colt is already looking ahead, ears pricked, eyes searching.

Far away in Louisville, trainer Michael Matz is speaking to reporters about his Kentucky Derby starter, Visionaire. He will not be in Maryland when Nicanor arrives, but Michael’s right-hand-man, assistant trainer Peter Brette, is holding down the fort. He expects the colt to ship in at Fair Hill around 5:30 a.m. on May 1.

The Blood-Horse will be there also, as photographer Jim Coarse prepares to greet the colt early that morning. And later, after he settles in, Brette is prepared to give a full update.
Meanwhile, Nicanor rides through the night. It is time for him to embark on the next stage of his young career. The serious training is about to begin.

Editor's note: Photographer Louise E. Reinagel was asked to complete an exclusive photo shoot of Nicanor for Blood-Horse. Here, in her own words, are thoughts about the experience and the personality of Roy and Gretchen Jackson's developing son of Dynaformer. Remember, this picture and others like it are available at Pictopia.com

"I’ve gone out on many occasions to photograph horses at Stephens Thoroughbreds. John and Jill are a very enjoyable couple, and from what I can tell it’s a real team effort – even with the employees, it’s more like a family.

"I did a photo shoot out there a couple of months ago and when I walked through the barn, I knew Nicanor was there, they pointed him out to me. He was snoozing in the stall and I watched him while they were getting my horse ready – and I looked again when I left, just observing him because of who he is, to see what I could see of him.

"I wanted to follow him and take pictures, but I respected the privacy of the farm so I never said anything. When Blood-Horse approached me about shooting him, it was very exciting because it was something I’d wanted to do. I couldn’t wait to follow him through a morning.

"They were ready for me when I got to the barn, and they knew it was a special morning because Nicanor was going to be photographed. He hadn’t become a celebrity as far as making him visually available to the public – he was only talked about  by everybody, I don’t think many pictures had been taken of him.

"When I photograph a subject, I normally control the circumstances. But in this case, the shoot was dictated by Nicanor and his routine. It was almost like there was a script – he had a specific rider (Gabrielle DeJesus) and a specific groom (Vicente Gordstieta) - and I just went where I could without interfering with him.

"I asked what his routine was, where to be at certain times, and went out ahead of time to figure out where he would be walking, how to get from his walking trail through the woods to the track before he would get there. It was fun; to access Nicanor is a dream for most.

"He’s getting fit, so he was a little bit on the muscle. They walked him out with the groom and he came out like he was supposed to, but I didn’t want to interfere with him. He was aware of me at all times, but I didn’t intimidate him. He was intent on what he was doing, and once he figured me out he paid me no mind.

"My favorite moment with him was when he came back off the track and John Stephens walked off the track with him because I’d asked him to get in the picture. He was speaking to the horse and the horse was cocking his head, being a little bit of handful for the rider coming off. It was almost like John was telling him to behave and he was talking back, like, “Who, me?” It was a great moment, the three were connected at same time, rider, trainer, horse, all one.

"This horse is a little bit different than your average Joe. He's very intelligent. He has a connection with everybody in the barn that works with him. He has a disposition that makes you want to know him.

"I’m not hyping this up; I’m not intrigued with the personality of a horse very often because rarely do they have an obvious personality. When he came into the barn, he was known as Barbaro’s brother. But I think he is known in the barn now as Nicanor and people are starting to respect him for who he is in his own right. He has his own personality and the people who work with him are very connected to him.

"He seems quite talented, and watching him he looks like a puppy that’s growing into himself. To see the difference from the first time until now, as he’s understanding what he’s supposed to do and able to do, is a treat.

"I have opportunity to photograph a lot of horses, and it’s a fistful, a small percentage, that have a personality like he does. I think maybe that’s what made Barbaro the heartthrob of the racing industry, and I think Nicanor could have the opportunity to do the same thing. He shows the personality, the intelligence, and everybody is going to want to follow him."

"When I was at Stephens, it was my honor to capture him for the public. My attempt was to reveal what the public wanted to see, and from looking at the responses on the blog, I think I accomplished that. Somebody posted early on about the shot where he’d been drinking water, that he looked so much like Barbaro. To me, that was a reward. For me to capture him in a way that the public pictured him was really special."

Blood-Horse photographer Louise Reinagel recently
headed out to Stephens Thoroughbreds to photograph Nicanor.
What a handsome boy!

Nicanor gallops at Stephens Thoroughbreds under Gabriel DeJesus 

After a drink in the shedrow

Leaving the track accompanied by John Stephens

Before 2006, Edgar Prado was viewed as a reserved rider who took pride in his accomplishments, but showed little emotion. However, in his role as pilot for Barbaro, winner of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), he became a tangible figure with whom the colt’s fans could identify. And when Barbaro suffered a devastating breakdown in the Preakness Stakes (gr. I), the incident exposed a tender side few knew the jockey had.

Now Prado has teamed with Baltimore Sun writer John Eisenberg to produce a book that reaches even deeper into his soul, giving readers a taste of the powerful connection between horse and rider. My Guy Barbaro: A Jockey’s Journey Through Love, Triumph, and Heartbreak with America’s Favorite Horse hit stores April 1.

While Eisenberg called writing the book for Harper Collins a gratifying project, Prado said it was a labor of love. Barbaro, the big bay colt he rode for Roy and Gretchen Jackson’s Lael Stables, left a lasting impression on his heart.

“He was a special horse that a lot of people fell in love with, and they loved him even more when he struggled for survival,” said the jockey. “But there was more than that. There was potential within his story, something he could teach us—that giving up is not an option.”

“Edgar is a sharp, smart guy,” said Eisenberg, author of books such as Native Dancer: The Grey Ghost, Hero of a Golden Age and The Great Match Race: When North Met South in America’s First Sports Spectacle. “He’s pretty soulful, really, and I don’t think anyone had seen that side; he just hadn’t let it out. But 2006 was just such an emotional year for him that everything was a lot closer to the surface. I think it will surprise a lot of people.”

Prado rode Barbaro for the first time in the Tropical Park Derby (gr. IIIT) at Calder in January 2006. He was aboard for the colt’s next three races—victories in the Holy Bull Stakes (gr. III), the Florida Derby (gr. I), and the Kentucky Derby—before the Michael Matz trainee fractured his right hind leg at Pimlico. In the following eight months, during Barbaro’s stay at the University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center, the jockey hoped and prayed for the colt’s survival. 

“Sometimes, it’s the small gratitude that counts the most,” said Prado. “I have to be grateful for the opportunities I had. Roy and Gretchen were great to me; Michael Matz had confidence in me. It was a wonderful team that I was blessed to be involved with and I was able to get the best out of that. Writing this book is part of that gratitude, giving back to the people who loved Barbaro just like I did.”

Beginning with Prado’s first glimpse of the colt and carrying through to the horse’s death, the book presents a touching review of the events surrounding Barbaro’s 3-year-old campaign, injury, and subsequent death. 

“My goal was definitely to make this more about Edgar telling his story,” Eisenberg said. “I certainly think racing fans will be interested, but hopefully this book can go beyond to the general audience, to convey the universal story of how horse and rider interact.”

My Guy Barbaro paints an insightful picture of the high-pressure lifestyle and intense campaigns of jockeys and horses who seek victory along the road to the Triple Crown. Additionally, it presents a fitting portrait of Prado’s true nature—that of a compassionate horseman whose bond with this one mount was unshakable.

As Eisenberg said, “We haven’t yet seen the story from Edgar’s side.”

Now we can.

As is commonly known, Barbaro was named after the foxhound who flanks a group of dogs in the portrait Foxhounds Meute de le Mr. Le Comte de Barral (Count de Barral).

For those of you who have asked about the names of the other foxhounds, I have listed them in order from right to left. They are easily obtainable through an online search as well.

Barbaro
Nicanor
Lentenor
Margano
Sereno
Calypso

The search for these names prompted a conversation with Bob Curran Jr., Vice President of Communications for The Jockey Club, and a quick look at the rules for the Thoroughbred naming process as obtained from  American Stud Book Principal Rules and Requirements. One interesting option to note is that of reserving a name - for a fee of $75.00, that name is made unavailable for an entire year. If not used within a year it becomes available for any horse. However, the individual who reserved the name may choose to renew the reservation for an additional year and another $75.00 fee. Approximately 400-450 names are reserved per year.

Often, Curran said, national events inspire the creation of Thoroughbred names. Following the fallout from the 2001 presidential elections, for instance, registered horses included All Four Chads, Count The Chads, Dangling Chad, Don’t Countess Out, Florida Recount, No More Chads, and Tooclosetocall.

After Smarty Jones' 2004 Kentucky Derby victory, up popped Smarty Me (filly by Elusive Quality), Sleepy Jones (colt by Swiss Yodeler), Smarty Who (filly by Lucky Lionel), Smarty Dee (filly by Pepper M.), Party Jones (colt by Elusive Quality).

There are NASCAR names such as J. Gordon (a colt named for driver Jeff Gordon) and Dirtymoposse (a colt named for the close circle of friends of driver Dale Earnhardt, Jr.), and Seinfeld names like Vandalay, Hello Newman, Puffy Shirt, Kramerica, Low Talker, Serenity Now, Hipster Dufus, Yada Yada Yada, and Manhands.


The following classes of names are not eligible for use:

Names consisting of more than 18 letters (spaces and punctuation marks count as letters)

Initials such as C.O.D., F.O.B., etc.

Names ending in "filly," "colt," "stud," "mare," "stallion," or any similar horse-related term

Names consisting entirely of numbers. Numbers above thirty may be used if they are spelled out.

Names ending with a numerical designation such as "2nd" or "3rd," whether or not such a designation is spelled out

Names of persons unless written permission to use their name is on file with The Jockey Club

Names of "famous" people no longer living unless approval is granted by the Board of Stewards of The Jockey Club

Names of "notorious" people

Names of racetracks or graded stakes races

Recorded names such as assumed names or stable names

Names clearly having commercial significance, such as trade names

Copyrighted material, titles of books, plays, motion pictures, popular songs, etc., unless the applicant furnishes The Jockey Club with proof that the copyright has been abandoned or that such material has not been used within the last five years

Names that are suggestive or have a vulgar or obscene meaning; names considered in poor taste; or names that may be offensive to religious, political or ethnic groups

Names that are currently active either in the stud or on the turf, and names similar in spelling or pronunciation to such names

Permanent names and names similar in spelling or pronunciation to permanent names. The list of criteria to establish a permanent name is as follows:
a. Horses in racing's Hall of Fame;
b. Horses that have been voted Horse of the Year;
c. Horses that have won an Eclipse Award;
d. Horses that have won a Sovereign Award (Canadian Champions);
e. Annual leading sire and broodmare sire by progeny earnings;
f. Cumulative money winners of $2 million or more;
g. Horses that have won the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, Belmont Stakes, The Jockey Club Gold Cup, the Breeders' Cup Classic or the Breeders' Cup Turf; and
h. Horses included in the International List of Protected Names.

 

For those of you who have been seeking an update on Lael Stables' Showing Up, the jury is still out on whether the 5-year-old son of Strategic Mission will return to racing. He remains under the care of Barclay Tagg and, according to Roy Jackson, no decision has been made as to whether he'll come back to racing or retire. 

According to Tagg, the horse was moved to a farm in Ocala, Fla. at the beginning of this week, and will be turned out there for an unspecified amount of time.

"It's still day-to-day with him; it's too late to make him a stallion this year, but if we can't get him ready for some fall races, I'd say he'd be retired," Tagg said. "He still has some nagging problems we want to get rid of." 

Bred in Kentucky by Nellie M. Cox and Rose Retreat Farm out of the T.V. Commercial mare Miss Alethia, Showing Up made his last start in the 2007 edition of the April 13 Maker's Mark Mile Stakes (gr. IIT). In 2006, he won the Hollywood Derby (gr. IT), the Jamaica Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. IIT), the Secretariat Stakes (gr. IT), and the Coolmore Lexington (gr. IIT) in addition to the Colonial Turf Cup Stakes.

His last recorded work was a Jan. 27 six-furlong move in 1:13.80 at Palm Meadows Training Center. 

A few of you have asked about Man in Havana, Barbaro's half-brother by Quiet American. Now four, he has been gelded and will not race. "He just didn't seem to want to run at all," Roy Jackson said last fall. "He is going to go on to be a pleasure horse. We didn't see the point in pushing him. He is a nice calm horse and we will see if he can do something else."