BALTIMORE - Dr. Dean Richardson and Edgar Prado, two key figures in the Barbaro saga, were honored with a “Special Award of Merit” Thursday at Pimlico.

The award, given annually during Preakness week, is presented to someone who has made a positive impact on the racing industry.

Richardson, the chief surgeon at the University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center, led the effort to save Barbaro following his catastrophic breakdown in last year’s Preakness.

Although the story ultimately came to a sad end when Barbaro was euthanized Jan. 29, Richardson said the experience had lasting value.

“The fact that this happened at the Preakness with Barbaro and the eventual tragedy that befell him doesn’t make the merit of the whole story any less,” he said. “The bottom line is that I still think a lot of good came out of the story. I hope everybody else believes that and hope people at least appreciate the effort.”

Richardson saluted Prado for quickly bringing Barbaro to a halt when the colt shattered three bones in his right hind leg seconds after the race started.

“I’m gratified to get it in conjunction with Edgar Prado,” Richardson said. “I wouldn’t be here at all if Edgar, or somebody of his equal level of skill, wasn’t riding the horse, because he did a remarkable job.”

Prado was riding at Belmont Park and unable to attend. In a statement, he said “Barbaro’s fight raised awareness about catastrophic injuries to all-time levels. For this, we should all be grateful.”

Before leaving, Richardson accepted a check for $126,000 from Breyer Animal Creations, makers of model horses, for researching a cure for laminitis.

Can't separate them
Carl Nafzger refused to rate his two Kentucky Derby winners — Street Sense, who runs Saturday in the $1 million Preakness and Unbridled, the 1990 winner who finished second to Summer Squall in the second leg of the Triple Crown.

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“It’s purely hypothetical, like who would win a fight between Cassius Clay or Rocky Marciano? How can you prove it? I wouldn’t degrade either horse,” the trainer said.

Stylistically, the colts are different. Street Sense has tactical speed that lets jockey Calvin Borel maneuver into any available spot. In the Derby, Street Sense took back to 19th in the early stages before making a dramatic run along the rail. In smaller fields, like the nine-horse Preakness, Street Sense usually lays closer to the pace.

Unbridled was a one-dimensional closer with a powerful finish.

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“Unbridled was a big horse. He’d get his machine rolling and he could really, really cover the ground,” Nafzger said.

Nafzger compared Street Sense to a sports car nimbly shifting lanes.

“This horse can check, hit it, cruise, hit it,” he said.

Looking worse
The weather forecast for Preakness Day deteriorated, now calling for a 60 percent chance of rain and temperatures in the mid 60s.

Mud or slop would be an interesting Preakness variable; six of the nine starters have not competed on an off track.

The top two favorites do have wet track experience. Street Sense, 7-5 on the morning line, ran third in the Arlington Washington Breeders’ Cup Futurity at Arlington Park last September. Hard Spun, the Derby runner-up and second choice in the Preakness at 5-2, rolled to a five-length win in his second start, the Port Penn Stakes at Delaware Park in November.