Barbaro, installed as the even-money morning-line favorite for Saturday’s Preakness Stakes (gr. I), galloped strongly and “blew out” a quarter of a mile in an unofficial :24 1/5 Thursday at Fair Hill Training Center in his final prep for the classic at Pimlico Racecourse.

With exercise rider/assistant trainer Peter Brette aboard, the son of Dynaformer who was an impressive winner of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) was accompanied to the track at about 7:45 a.m. by trainer Michael Matz aboard his stable pony. After breaking off from Matz at the quarter pole, Barbaro worked the quarter mile, for which he was timed in :24 1/5 by The Blood-Horse.

Brette termed the workout “super” and said it is customary for the colt to gallop strongly before a “blow out” prior to a race.

Owned and bred by Roy and Gretchen Jackson’s Lael Stables, Barbaro will be seeking his seventh career victory, with no defeats, when he faces eight other 3-year-olds Saturday. The colt, whose victories include the Florida Derby (gr. I), Holy Bull (gr. III), Tampa Bay Derby (gr. III), and Laurel Futurity, is scheduled to ship the 60 miles to Pimlico at mid-day Friday