Tragedy and Triumph

Barbaro's Life-Threatening Broken Leg Overshadows An Impressive Victory in the Preakness by Bernardini

Barbaro, with Edgar Prado aboard, breaks from the starting gate prematurely. It was only the beginning of his troubles as he fractured his right rear leg during the race. (By Jonathan Newton -- The Washington Post)

BALTIMORE, May 20 -- As a tragic event occurred at Pimlico Race Course on Saturday, so did a horse race that continued despite the life-threatening injury suffered by Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro at the start of the Preakness Stakes.

Bernardini, a colt by top sire A.P. Indy, came of age on a national stage, winning the second leg of the Triple Crown in only his fourth career start. Not since Red Bullet defeated Fusaichi Pegasus in 2000 had a horse won the Preakness without having run in the Kentucky Derby.

The winner is owned and was bred by Sheikh Mohammed al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates and one of the most powerful horsemen in the world.

Bernardini ran the 1 3/16 -mile Preakness in a fast 1 minute 54.65 seconds, defeating Sweetnorthernsaint by 5 1/4 lengths before a record crowd of 118,402. Hemingway's Key, a long shot trained by Nick Zito, finished third, six lengths behind the runner-up.

"I didn't really think he would win by that far a margin," trainer Thomas Albertrani said. "He just seemed to really extend at the end. Without Barbaro in there, I don't know how much of a margin he might have won by if he didn't get injured. He sure came with an explosive run at the end."

The race did not stop when Barbaro pulled up in distress before the horses had reached the first turn. Like Now, the expected front-runner, immediately sprinted to the lead, hustled away by jockey Garrett Gomez. Sweetnorthernsaint, the Laurel Park-based runner who finished seventh in the Kentucky Derby, took up the chase to his outside.

As he had at Churchill Downs, Brother Derek found trouble. He broke slowly at the start and quickly was pulled up by jockey Alex Solis as Barbaro broke down in front of him. Meantime, New York-based veteran jockey Javier Castellano, riding in his first Preakness, found a clear space to position Bernardini behind the leaders.

Sweetnorthernsaint, ridden by former Maryland star Kent Desormeaux, sat patiently behind Like Now, but when Brother Derek recovered and rushed up on the outside Desormeaux asked his mount to pick up the pace and the three ran together down the backstretch.

For a moment, Bernardini appeared to drop back, as long shot Diabolical moved to his inside.

"He had great position in to the first turn, and my only concern was about the half-mile pole when Brother Derek went by him," Albertrani said. "I got a little worried for a moment. When I saw him come back into the picture, from there on I knew he was going to just take off."

In his race prior to the Preakness, Bernardini had shown explosive speed, bulling his way past three other horses to win the Withers Stakes at Aqueduct, even though Castellano had dropped his whip in the stretch.

This time, Castellano didn't need the whip. Bernardini hurtled around the far turn as Sweetnorthernsaint put away Like Now and Brother Derek dropped back. In the stretch, Bernardini brushed Sweetnorthernsaint, as if pushing him aside, drifted down to the rail and distanced himself from the field.

After the race, Castellano expressed his mixed emotions.

"I'm really excited for me and for my group and winning the Preakness, but at the same time I see the horse right in the middle of the track and everybody trying to help it," he said. "I see the jockey . . . Oh, my God, really, really sad."

John Ferguson, racing manager for Mohammed's Darley Stable, said the sheik would decide whether Bernardini would attempt to become the 19th horse to win the Preakness Stakes and then go on to take the Belmont Stakes in three weeks. He also addressed his hopes for Barbaro.

"I just hope and pray the horse is okay, because obviously you know Sheikh Mohammed is thrilled to bits that he's won the Preakness," Ferguson said. "We would have enjoyed it a little bit more if Barbaro was okay right now."