Adriano |
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| Barbara D. Livingston |
2008 Prep Recap
| Date | Trk | Race | Chart | Distance | Time | BSF | Video |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1/11 | GP | Alw 40500n1x | Chart | 1 1/16m | 1:39:3 | 90 | |
| 2/24 | GP | Fountain of Youth (G2) | Chart | 1 1/8m | 1:50 | 70 |  |
| 3/22 | TP | Lane's End (G2) | Chart | 1 1/8m | 1:50:1 | 92 | |
Analysis (by Mary Rampellini)
Strengths: He might be one of the best candidates to get the mile and a quarter on Saturday. He has never raced at less than 1 1/16 miles in his seven career starts, giving him a good foundation for the distance demands. He also is a fresh horse, as he will be making his first start since his March 22 win in the Grade 2 Lane’s End on Polytrack at Turfway Park. Edgar Prado, who won the Kentucky Derby in 2006 with Barbaro, partnered with Adriano for the first time in the Lane’s End and has chosen to stick with him over Grade 1 Blue Grass winner Monba.
Weaknesses: He has not won on conventional dirt. In his one start on it, he finished ninth in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream Park, a 1 1/8-mile race that went in a modest time of 1:50. As for his Lane’s End, the effort was not flattered by runner-up Halo Najib nor third-place finisher Medjool, who came back in their next starts to run a respective seventh and eighth in the Blue Grass.
Strategy: Adriano needs a ground-saving trip Saturday, as well as good pace up front to fuel his late run. It appears the fractions should be honest, at the very least, courtesy of such quick rivals as Big Brown, Bob Black Jack, Gayego, Recapturetheglory, and perhaps the filly Eight Belles.
Value: Adriano needs a ground-saving trip Saturday, as well as good pace up front to fuel his late run. It appears the fractions should be honest, at the very least, courtesy of such quick rivals as Big Brown, Bob Black Jack, Gayego, Recapturetheglory, and perhaps the filly Eight Belles.
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Owners: Courtlandt Farms |
Pedigree Profile (by Lauren Stich)
Sire Line: A.P. Indy was scratched as the favorite on the morning of his Derby in 1992 but won the Belmont Stakes and Breeders’ Cup Classic over older runners and was 1992 Horse of the Year. The best Derby finish by one of his offspring was Aptitude’s second to Fusaichi Pegasus in 2000, and Aptitude’s son Steppenwolfer ran third to Barbaro and Bluegrass Cat in 2006. Pulpit, from A.P. Indy’s first crop, ran a courageous fourth in the 1997 Derby despite sustaining a career-ending injury in the race. Atswhatimtalknbout rallied dramatically to finish a flying fourth in the 2003 Derby. The Bold Ruler sire line had a profound impact on the Derby during the 1970s, producing winners Dust Commander, Secretariat, Cannonade, Foolish Pleasure, Bold Forbes, Seattle Slew (sire of 1984 Derby winner Swale), and Spectacular Bid.
Female Family: Gold Canyon was a winner and is a half-sister to stakes winner Double Scoop. Second dam Golden Treat won the Santa Anita Oaks and placed in the Fantasy and Las Virgenes stakes and set a 4 1/2-furlong track record at Hollywood Park of 51.70 seconds. Golden Treat is also a half-sister to Bet Twice, the 1987 Belmont Stakes winner who was second in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness to Alysheba.
Pedigree Pattern: A.P. Indy gets stakes winners with a variety of mares, but the A.P. Indy/Mr. Prospector cross has been particularly successful, resulting in such stakes winners as Horse of the Year Mineshaft, Tomisue’s Delight, Pulpit, Congrats, Daydreaming, and Accelerator. Adriano is a serious player at the Derby distance.