Photo:

Matt Sharp / Eclipse Sportswire

Talented 2-year-old colt Barnes earned an 87 Beyer Speed Figure, according to Daily Racing Form, and an 88 Brisnet Speed Rating for his narrow debut triumph Wednesday at Churchill Downs.

The victory came in the first start for trainer Bob Baffert beneath the twin spires since he was suspended in 2021.

Baffert returns to Churchill, saddles debut win for Barnes.

“We know he likes Churchill Downs, but I think my other ones are going to like it as well,” said Baffert, whose barn includes would-be 2-year-old male champion Citizen Bull, the winner of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. “So hopefully we’ll keep him healthy and be here on the first Saturday in May.”

Barnes, a $3.2 million colt who is owned by Amr Zedan, shortened to an 8-1 second individual choice Thursday in Kentucky Derby Future Wager pool 2, which opened Thanksgiving day and runs through Sunday. At 7-1, Citizen Bull was the favorite among the 38 individual betting interests. There also are options for all fillies from the 2022 foal crop and all colts and geldings from 2022 who were not made individual betting choices. The all-other-males option was the 7-2 favorite Thursday at 6 p.m. EST.

In Las Vegas, Barnes opened at 33-1 and was bet down to 18-1 in fixed-odds wagering at Caesars Sportsbook. Citizen Bull drifted from 8-1 to 10-1 but remained the favorite among the 73 horses listed.

Running concurrently with pool 2 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager is the lone Kentucky Derby Sire Future Wager, where fans may wager on sires of Derby prospects. Barnes is by Into Mischief, the favored 8-1 sire Thursday evening.