1992: two-year-old season

Barathea was undefeated in two starts as a two-year-old in October 1992, beating a field including the future Derby Italiano winner White Muzzle in the Westley Maiden Stakes at Newmarket,^[6] and following up in the Houghton Stakes over the same course and distance two weeks later.

1993: three-year-old season

These performances attracted a good deal of attention,^[7] and he was sent off odds-on for his three-year-old debut in the Craven Stakes. He could only finish a disappointing fourth behind Emperor Jones and Wharf,^[8] but was beaten less than a length and was still regarded as a contender for the 2000 Guineas. In the classic two weeks later, he was sent off 10/1 third favourite. He reversed the Craven form with Emperor Jones and Wharf, and proved the best of the British colts, but was no match for the French champion, Zafonic, who beat him into second place by three and a half lengths.

His performance led to his being sent off 4/7 favourite for the Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh. He took the lead inside the final furlong and stayed on strongly to hold off the late challenge of the Vincent O'Brien-trained Fatherland by a head.^[9] After the race Luca Cumani was reported to be delighted, and suggested that the colt would improve further by referring to him as "still a baby".^[10]

The summer saw Barathea being tried as a middle-distance performer, but he failed to stay the distance when fading into fifth place in the Derby^[11] and was the well-beaten favourite behind Opera House in the Eclipse. Switched back to a mile he finished fourth behind Kingmambo in the Prix du Moulin, second to Bigstone in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes^[12] and fifth to Lure in his first attempt at the Breeder's Cup Mile.

1994 four-year-old season

He had proved himself to be a consistent, high-class colt, but better was to come. He began his four-year-old campaign at Royal Ascot in the Queen Anne Stakes (then a Group Two race). Always running prominently, he took the lead in the closing stages and stayed on to beat Emperor Jones by a neck. After the race Cumani announced that he would aim the colt at the top European races, and that the Breeder's cup was only an "afterthought".^[13]

Barathea then proved his ability to compete at a range of distances by finishing a close fourth against specialist sprinters in the July Cup. He was thereafter campaigned exclusively at a mile. A narrow defeat to the three-year-old Distant View in the Sussex Stakes,^[14] was followed by a disappointing effort behind East of the Moon in the Prix Jacques Le Marois. In the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, Barathea defeated several of the best European milers including Bigstone, Distant View and East of the Moon, but was unable to catch the front-running 66-1 outsider Maroof. As the only horse in the field without a previous Group One win, Maroof had been regarded as "cannon fodder" and the result was greeted with "universal amazement".^[15]

For the Breeders' Cup Mile, Barathea was given a meticulous preparation. Luca Cumani constructed a replica of the Churchill Downs track layout at his base in Newmarket, giving the colt experience of the tight circuit, and shipped him out earlier than the other British runners in order to acclimatise.^[16] Facing a strong field of North American and European milers, he was made 10.4-1 fourth choice in the betting behind the odds-on favourite Lure. He was always prominent, moved into the lead at the start of the straight whilst still "cruising", and pulled away to win by three lengths.^[17]