by Jeff Lowe

Roman Emperor notched his first stakes victory and may have earned a spot in the Belmont Stakes (G1) when he fought off Da' Tara to win the $100,000 Barbaro Stakes on Saturday at Pimlico Race Course.

The Empire Maker colt rebounded from a seventh-place finish in the Wood Memorial Stakes (G1) on April 5 at Aqueduct. He finished third in the Count Fleet Stakes and second in the Whirlaway Stakes at Aqueduct earlier this year.

"He ran into a little trouble just inside the half-mile pole [in the Wood Memorial] and that was really it for him that day," trainer and co-owner Steve Klesaris said. "Whether or not or why, we don't really have the answer but he came out of the race really good and [we] just kind of freshened him and looked for something a little softer than he had faced the last few races. Hopefully, this is just something that gets him back on track in the right direction." 

Klesaris was not ready to commit Roman Emperor to the Belmont, but he acknowledged that the bay colt has strong bloodlines for the 1 ½-mile classic. Empire Maker won the 2003 Belmont, ten years after Roman Emperor's broodmare sire, Colonial Affair, prevailed in the 1993 edition.

"Things would have to look real, real good, but it wouldn't be the distance that I would be afraid of," Klesaris said.

Roman Emperor stalked Da' Tara through a half-mile in :47.80 and engaged him midway on the turn. They dueled into the stretch before Roman Emperor inched ahead to win by a half-length under Jeremy Rose as the 8-to-5 favorite.

Da' Tara, the second choice at 1.90-to-1, finished second, and Spurrier followed another 3 ¼ lengths back in third.

Puglisi Stables bought Roman Emperor for $110,000 at the 2007 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic sale two-year-olds in training. He has won three of eight career starts and earned $159,803.

For an Equibase chart, click here.

Jeff Lowe is a Thoroughbred Times staff writer