Edgar Prado celebrates his win on Barbaro

Keyed Entry and Sinister Minister set the early pace but Barbaro accelerated through to win by seven lengths.

Jockey Edgar Prado said: "He showed me what a great horse he is."

Barbaro's trainer Michael Matz, who survived a plane crash 17 years ago, watched the race with three children he had pulled plane's wreckage.

Barbaro, a winner in all five of his prior starts, started from the eighth post and stayed near the front early on.

Then Prado prodded him around the final turn and took an inside line to come through for the win.

"He stumbled a little coming out of the gate, but it wasn't too bad," said Prado.

"All through the race I had a lot of confidence and when I turned him loose he took off like a rocket.

"He is a very nice horse and hopefully we can get a Triple Crown out of him."

The Triple Crown series continues with the Preakness in two weeks, followed by the Belmont Stakes next month.