Monday Afternoon Notes
– Lane’s End winner Adriano could skip the Kentucky Derby. “I just think we’d have to think long and hard whether that would make sense for him,” owner Donald Adam told Jennie Rees after the race. “We think there are a lot of very nice races to be run this year. We’ll make that decision as a team.” Adriano earned a 92 Beyer for the Lane’s End, his first race over a synthetic surface. He’s now shown talent on both turf and Polytrack; his one try on dirt was the Fountain of Youth, in which he finished ninth.
– Maren’s Meadow will continue training at Turfway following her Bourbonette Oaks win on Saturday. Despite her professional score, she’ll be pointed to the Black-Eyed Susan at Pimlico in May, not the Kentucky Oaks. Trainer Larry Jones already has two prospects for that race in Eight Belles and Proud Spell.
– Jockey Kent Desormeaux, who will ride Georgie Boy in the Santa Anita Derby and has first call on Fountain of Youth winner Cool Coal Man, came away super impressed from his work on possible Derby contender Big Brown last week, telling trainer Richard Dutrow, “You know, the other day when he won, I was so high that I was saying crazy things, like he’s the best horse I’ve ever ridden. Now I think he really might be” (MSNBC).
– Over on Foolish Pleasure, Valerie notes once-controversial owner Michael Gill has been claiming horses recently at Laurel, two years after he won the Eclipse Award for outstanding owner, “accepting it with a speech that can only be described as Nixonesque,” and left racing. Gill has claimed 18 horses with trainer Edwin Vazquez, Sr. (19-0-0-1 this year) since March 13.
– The best Beyer this weekend in any 3-year-old stakes was earned by Richard Dutrow-trainee Double or Nothing. Commenter J.S. reports a figure of 94 for the winner of the Private Terms Stakes at Laurel.
