Gary Barber

Gretzky the Great (Nyquist), who became freshman sire Nyquist (Uncle Mo)'s first stakes winner in August, became his second Grade I winner less than a month later with a victory in Sunday's GI Summer S. at Woodbine. The score in the "Win and You're In" event punched Gretzky the Great's ticket to the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf and gave Japanese-born jockey Kazushi Kimura his first career Grade I triumph. Unveiled going five furlongs on the local turf July 12, the Ontario-bred was runner-up to re-opposing rival Ready to Repeat...

Mark Casse has a strong chance to take home his third GI Ricoh Woodbine Mile with a trio of contenders set to line up for Saturday's "Win and You're In" event for the GI Breeders' Cup Mile. Gary Barber's War of Will (War Front) tries to secure a Grade I double here off a win in Keeneland's GI Maker's Mile July 10. Winner of the GIII LeComte S., GII Risen Star S. and GI Preakness S. last season, the bay capped his sophomore term with a ninth in the GI...

Tackling near two and a quarter miles for the first time, Team Valor and Gary Barber's Spanish Mission (Noble Mission {GB}) excelled at the trip to win Friday's G2 bet365 Doncaster Cup and stake his claim as a major player in the staying category. Always travelling easily in fifth for William Buick, the 6-4 favourite who had won the Aug. 20 Listed Chester S. after his move to Andrew Balding loomed alongside Selino (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}) with purpose having already travelled two miles. Sent into the clear from there,...

Superman Shaq (Shackleford), a half-brother to champion Monomoy Girl (Tapizar), disappointed with a dull effort in his debut, but made amends with a 'TDN Rising Star' worthy graduation at Del Mar Sunday. Shedding blinkers and sent off the 5-2 favorite for this second start, the chestnut colt strode out to the early lead and had company through a quarter in :22.08. He began inching clear turning for home, spurted further away after a half in :45.77 and bound home a 3 3/4-length winner. Parnelli (Quality Road) was second and Hot...

Vequist (Nyquist) suffered a nose defeat when debuting going 4 1/2 furlongs at Parx, but found no equals when stepped up into the GI Spinaway S. Sunday at Saratoga, pressing a fast pace and romping clear impressively in the stretch to break her maiden in the first Grade I race of the year for juveniles. Unveiled as a tepid favorite July 29 in Bensalem for owner/breeder Swilcan Stables, the bay chased a wire to wire winner throughout and just missed when taking a final dive at her foe nearing the...

2nd-Churchill Downs, $99,290, Msw, 9-4, 2yo, f, 6f, 1:10.79, ft. SALTY AS CAN BE (f, 2, Into Mischief--Theycallmeladyluck {SP}, by Dixie Union), a half-sister to 2018 GI La Troienne S. winner Salty (Quality Road), GISW, $688,500, was purchased by Team Casse for $850,000 out of last year's FTSAUG sale from the Baccari Bloodstock consignment, but her worktab yielded few clues and she was no better than 11-1 despite her impeccable pedigree. Settled in about fifth spot early and punching the breeze three wide, Salty As Can Be rolled up to...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 2nd-CD, $97K, Msw, 2yo, f, 6f, 11:30 a.m. ET Gary Barber and Baccari Racing Stable's SALTY AS CAN BE (Into Mischief) opens her account in this sprint, the second event on a star-studded GI Longines Kentucky Oaks day card at Churchill. Bought for $850,000 at Fasig-Tipton Saratoga, the bay is a half-sister to Salty (Quality Road), who won the GI La Troienne S. over this track for these connections in 2018 before selling for $3 million to Don Alberto at Fasig-Tipton November. Other interesting firsters...

The first three finishers from the local GII San Clemente S. will reconvene in Saturday's GI Del Mar Oaks with a pair of Group winners from Europe shipping in to spice things up in the nine-furlong test for 3-year-old turf fillies. Of the local hopes, San Clemente victress Laura's Light (Constitution) figures to take the most play as she tries to make it six wins in eight career outings. A debut winner sprinting on the all-weather at Golden Gate last November, the bay was privately purchased by Gary Barber out...

3rd-Del Mar, $56,000, Msw, 8-14, 2yo, 5fT, :57.50, fm. GET HER NUMBER (c, 2, Dialed In--Fancier, by Bernstein), off at a well-backed 3-1 in a field scratched down to seven after the chilly-on-the-board Stratofortress (The Factor) got loose while parading, took up a prominent position outside of pacesetting Commander Khai (Twirling Candy) and pressed from the outside. The latter carried the lead into the lane, traveling well, and looked home inside the final half-furlong, but Flavien Prat was able to extract just a bit extra from his mount and threw...

6th-Woodbine, C$108,646, Msw, 8-2, 2yo, 6f (AWT) (off turf), 1:09.84, ft. GRETZKY THE GREAT (c, 2, Nyquist--Pearl Turn {MSP, $182,560}, by Bernardini), sent off the hot 1-2 choice, jumped out to an early advantage, led through splits of :22.77 and :45.09 and turned on all boosters late, crossing the wire 4 1/2 lengths ahead of Liars Club (Broken Vow). The Ontario bred kicked off his career for Mark Casse with a second-place effort sprinting five panels over the local turf July 12 behind Ready to Repeat (More Than Ready), who...

Claiborne Farm has purchased an interest in Classic winner War of Will (War Front--Visions of Clarity {Ire}, by Sadlers Wells), who will stand at the Paris, Kentucky farm upon the conclusion of his racing career. The winner of a trio of a trio of graded events at three, including the GI Preakness S., the Gary Barber-campaigned colt most recently scored in the GI Maker's Mark Mile over the Keeneland turf July 10. War of Will's 2021 stud fee will be announced following the Breeders' Cup. "War of Will has an...

Umberto Rispoli was off to a hot start in his first visit to Del Mar, with seven trips to the winner's circle from his first 21 rides, and he'll look for his third black-type success at the meet in Saturday's GII San Clemente S. The Italian has the call atop Croughavouke (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) for Jeff Mullins in the one-mile prep for the GI Del Mar Oaks and the filly has run well in a pair of appearances at the seaside oval. Runner-up in last year's Juvenile Fillies Turf...