David Dwyer's Barilko kept his unblemished record intact with a workmanlike performance in the featured $125,000 Swynford Stakes, Saturday at Woodbine. With Constant Montpellier aboard, the heavy 1-2 favorite Barilko, a Kentucky-bred son of E Dubai, skated to the front in the seven furlong event for two-year-olds and while challenged at several points in the race, was never headed, scoring by two and three-quarter lengths over 13-1 shot Bilbo, with 14-1 Acoustic Shadow third. The final time was 1:24.65. Barilko shot immediately to the front, getting the first quarter in 22.96 but was challenged first by Carysfort Light approaching the far turn, after a half in 46.03. Turning for home, Bilbo, along the rail, took dead aim at the leader, but the unbeaten gelding held sway down the lane for the win. The victory, his fourth in a row, keeps Barilko at the top of the juvenile ranks in Canada in the race for year-end Sovereign Award honors.
While the victory wasn't quite as easy as an empty-netter, it appears the gelding, named for the late Bill Barilko, who scored the winning goal in overtime for the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 1951 Stanley Cup playoffs, will be put away for the year. Dwyer, who also trains the now three-time stakes winner (he earlier won the Silver Deputy and Colin), said, "I think I'm going to put him away. He's done everything I've asked of him. You can only get so much lemon juice out of the lemon. It's time to give him a rest."
With today's winning pot of $75,000, Barilko pushed his career bankroll to $231,180, far above his $30,000 purchase price at last September's Keeneland yearling sale. And to think he opened his campaign with an easy win in a $50,000 maiden claimer. "He's improved every race," added Montpellier. "I knew there was other speed, but I didn't want to get caught in a speed duel. I thought they'd actually be in front of me. This guy gets better every time. He comes out of there running and took me right to the lead. He's just a racehorse."
Added Anne Klisanich, the sister of Bill Barilko, who died in a summer plane crash several months after his Stanley Cup winner, "I knew he'd win today because my brother won four Stanley Cups and Barilko did it today with his number five." Bill Barilko's #5 sweater is one of only two retired by the hockey club.
