Heard today that connections still believe that despite his pedigree the colt favors the grass/synthetic surfaces over the dirt. They do plan to drill him a few times over the dirt to see if he has "changed his mind" at all. He is still being pointed towards the Lexington Stakes at Keeneland and another strong effort will leave them with a very tough decision to go on to the Derby or not.

He is 20-1 on the morning line of the latest Ky Derby pool. Still way underpriced IMO.


Edward

Adriano might head directly to Kentucky Derby


ADRIANO
Pat Lang photo
by Jeff Lowe

Trainer Graham Motion and owner Donald Adam are warming to the idea of running Lane’s End Stakes (G2) winner Adriano in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) on May 3.

After Adriano registered his first stakes win in the Lane’s End on March 22, Motion initially targeted the Coolmore Lexington Stakes (G2) on April 19 at Keeneland Race Course as a more likely destination than the Kentucky Derby. Motion cited Adriano’s ninth-place finish in the Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) on February 24 at Gulfstream Park in his only start on a conventional dirt surface.

The A.P. Indy colt arrived at Keeneland Race Course on Tuesday from South Florida. If the weather cooperates, Motion will send Adriano to Churchill Downs this weekend for a workout on the dirt.

“We wouldn’t run him in both races,” Motion said. “I’d say at this point we’re leaning a little bit more toward the Derby than the Lexington.”

Also of interest this weekend will be an expected workout at Churchill Downs by Lane's End Stakes winner Adriano. That work, trainer Graham Motion said, would be used as a gauge to see if he likes the track and should run in the Derby, or instead remain on Polytrack in the Grade 2, $325,000 Lexington Stakes at Keeneland on April 19. Motion said Adriano was unlikely to run in both races.

Adriano drilled a co-bullet 4f in 46 3/5 at Keeneland Tuesday which may be cause in part for the Derby fever. Plans are to drill him over the Churchill Downs dirt this weekend before making a final decision. I really don't know how they wouldn't run him with that type of pedigree.

Originally Posted by HorseRacingTalk

Adriano drilled a co-bullet 4f in 46 3/5 at Keeneland Tuesday which may be cause in part for the Derby fever. Plans are to drill him over the Churchill Downs dirt this weekend before making a final decision. I really don't know how they wouldn't run him with that type of pedigree.

I was told that worked never happened and Keenland has retracted the work. Read my above post and you will see where they are working him over the Churchill strip to see if he likes it or not.



FB

That's pretty odd, but seems to make sense from the quotes. Thanks for the update.

He was supposed to work out at CD this (Sunday) morning, but I can't find any reports on it yet. Anyone hear anything?

Thanks,


Edward

Just found the time, 4f in 50.0, 29 of 42.

Disappointing time but hard to tell what was going on without hearing a visual report.

Adriano Drills at CD; Likely for Derby
Updated: April 13, 2008

(edited Churchill Downs release)

Courtlandt Farm’s homebred Adriano is now considered “likely” for a run in the May 3 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) following a four-furlong workout April 13 at Churchill Downs.

The Graham Motion-trained chestnut son of A.P. Indy, winner of the Lane’s End Stakes (gr. II) at Turfway Park March 22, had jockey Edgar Prado in the saddle as he breezed a half-mile in intermittent rain over a “fast” surface in :50.

Adriano is out of the Mr. Prospector mare Gold Canyon. The Kentucky-bred has won three of seven starts and has earned $387,700.

The 3-year-old colt breezed in company with Longley, a 4-year-old Courtlandt Farm stablemate. Longley broke off in front of Adriano, but the duo raced as a team through the turn and into upper stretch before Adriano and Prado pushed past in the final furlong to finish a length in front of his workmate.

Motion planned to discuss the colt’s future later in the day with Courtlandt Farm owner Donald Adam, but felt Adriano had shown enough in the easy work over the track to earn a start in the Derby. He had said earlier that a good work over the surface could earn Adriano entry into the Run for the Roses, but the colt could run in the Coolmore Lexington (gr. II) April 19 at Keeneland if he did not handle the Churchill Downs surface well.

“I’m pretty sure we’re going to go for it after this – I don’t know why we wouldn’t,” Motion said. “Believe me, I want to win the Derby as much as anybody else does, but I don’t think it’s engraved in my mind that I’ve got to get there. I want to get there for the right reasons, and when we analyze it and we talk with Mr. Adam and with Edgar, I think it is the right thing to do at this point. That was depending upon what happened today, and I think it went well.”

Churchill Downs clockers caught Adriano in fractions of :13, :25.40, and :37.80 and the colt galloped out five furlongs in 1:03.40. Longley was timed in :50.40 for his four-furlong move. Adriano’s move ranked 29th among 42 at the distance.

“He went nice,” said Prado, one day after having won the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I) aboard Monba. “He started nice and easy, and he finished good. When I called on him, he was there. Graham was happy and I was happy with him.”

Motion had expressed reservations about Adriano’s handling of traditional dirt courses like the one-mile oval at Churchill Downs after the colt turned in a disappointing ninth-place finish behind Cool Coal Man Feb. 24 in the Fountain of Youth (gr. II) at Gulfstream Park. That was his first race on traditional dirt after Adriano had raced on grass or Polytrack in his five previous starts.

Motion’s concern about the colt’s capability on dirt was one reason Adriano turned up in the Lane’s End, where he romped by 2 ½-lengths over the Polytrack surface. Motion brought Adriano to Churchill Downs to see how his colt would handle the dirt footing under the historic Twin Spires, and was pleased with what he saw as he watched the move from a seat atop his stable pony.

“He seemed to handle it fine,” said Motion. “I don’t think the time was real flashy, but, to be honest, I really wasn’t asking him to do that. And it (the track) was kind of ‘cuppy’ – I’m guessing they didn’t put a lot of water on the track because of the rain, so it just looked like it was a little loose.”

“I pretty much told Edgar he had a free rein to do what he wanted, within reason. He kind of smooched to him at the eighth pole and he really lengthened his stride. He just seemed to accelerate like he would on any surface. I couldn’t say he went a lot differently than he would have gone on the turf or the Polytrack.”

If Adam and Motion make the expected decision to point Adriano toward the Kentucky Derby, Prado will have a decision to make. In addition to Monba, he also won the Wood Memorial (gr. I) April 5 aboard Tale of Ekati. Motion indicated that Prado would need to make a decision on whether he would stick with Adriano for the Derby within “24 hours.”

“He’s got to make up his mind, and I don’t want to miss out on getting somebody else,” said Motion. “If Edgar is not the ‘money rider’ right now, he’s certainly one of the two or three.”

Motion planned to take Adriano back to Keeneland after Sunday’s work. If the ultimate decision is to point Adriano toward the Derby, Motion said the colt would likely return to Churchill Downs late this week.

Jockey Edgar Prado has selected Lane’s End Stakes (G2) winner Adriano as his mount for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1).

Prado chose Adriano over Monba and Tale of Ekati, whom he rode to victories in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G1) and Wood Memorial Stakes (G1), respectively.

“One of the reasons I worked Adriano at Churchill Downs this week was to let Edgar get a feel for him on the track and see what he thought. It was as much for his benefit as for mine. He wanted to see for himself before he made his decision, and I wanted to see for myself before I made my decision. I was tickled when he turned into the stretch and he showed that extraordinary stride when Edgar asked him. I let him do as he pleased, sort of like taking out a new car for a spin. He let him roll the last part, and I clocked him in :11 and change for the final eighth. When Edgar asked him he really took off from his workmate, who is a very useful stakes winner.”

Hey RA, bookmaker is showing 23-1 on this horse.


12503 ADRIANO +2300

The Greek has him at +3550, saw 35-1 at WSEX also.

Might be close, but have to think he goes off lower than 35-1 on race day. Of course he still has to get to the starting gate.

Now 20-1 at Greek and 25-1 at WSEX.

I have to think he goes off at higher odds than that on race day.

i dont think so RA, I would snatch that up if I were you, doesnt hurt to bet him again on derby day, but he is a contender, Prado aboard will draw some attention as well! I love the late kick this horse shown, and also some other horses might not go to the derby which will make him go lower, as seen today with War Pass no longer going!

Just a thought