Win, Win, Win Edgar Prado
Jockey Gets Adriano to Lane's End Wire, Wins Two in Dubai
Edgar Prado, winner of over 6,000 Thoroughbred races, piloted Adriano to a win over Halo Najib in the Lane's End Stakes and won twice on the Dubai World Cup undercard.
Quiet Edgar Prado, a 6,000-wins jockey, spent an outstanding week in the saddle and in the winner's circle at the end of March when he schooled Adriano to the March 22 Lane's End Stakes wire over Halo Najib, then traveled around the world to get Diamond Stripes and Benny the Bull to victory lane in the Dubai World Cup events, the Godolphin Mile and the Dubai Golden Shaheen, respectively.
The Cup races were part of the five-race undercard to the most valuable purse in the world, the Dubai World Cup Classic, won March 29 by Horse of the Year (2007), Curlin.
Halo Najib is a Halo's Image product with three graded stakes wins and earnings enough to get him entered into the Kentucky Derby should Zayat Stable, LLC and trainer Dale Romans elect to go to Churchill Downs. The victory for Adriano was his first stakes win. Previously, he had notched two turf wins in six races, with four of them run on turf.
Prado rode Adriano, an A.P. Indy colt out of Gold Canyon by Mr. Prospector, for the first time. Adriano, a homebred, is owned by breeder Don Adam of Courtlandt Farms, Ocala, Florida.
Adriano's First Race on Polytrack No Problem
The 1-1/8 miles Lane's End Stakes is run at Turfway Park, Florence, Kentucky. The Polytrack surface was of no concern to Adriano, and jockey Prado got respones from the colt when he asked. The son of A.P. Indy covered the distance in time of 1:50.20, twice holding off the field of 11, in particular, Halo Najib, ridden by Kent Desormeaux.
Prado said he was certain the colt would handle his first trip on Polytrack because Thoroughbreds generally adapt well to the synthetic footing if they have experience running on turf.
Sweet Double Win At Dubai
Notebook's 5-year-old son, Diamond Stripes, did well for himself in Dubai, winning the Godolphin Mile over Godolphin Racing's 4-year-old Elusive Warning. Prado took Diamond Stripes through Elusive Warning's challenge to win by 1-1/4 lengths. Prado described Diamond Stripes as a horse who "tries hard" in each race.
The son of Notebook is owned by the Lebanese-born Masri brothers, Abbas and Kassem, who live in Florida and operate the Four Roses Thoroughbreds stable.
Prado saddled up again on Benny the Bull for the Dubai Golden Shaheen, a six-furlong straight sprint.
Seven of the last eight runnings of the Shaheen had been won by American horses.
All Benny the Bull needed was 1:08.70 minutes to dash to the wire ahead of every other creature with four legs pumping. He was a fraction off Big Jag's 2000 race record in his splash over four rivals. Prado said Benny the Bull possess "phenomenal speed" and is a consistent "all business" responder, as well. The speedy sprinter is the son of Lucky Lionel, out of Comet Cat, by Birdonthewire, and is owned by IEAH Stables, Greg James, Andrew I. Cohen, and Pegasus Holding Group Stables.
Back To The USA, Two Older Horses Are Pointed to Breeders' Cup Races
Richard Dutrow trains both of Prado's Dubai mounts. He said Benny the Bull will take part in the Breeders' Cup Sprint this fall, while Diamond Stripes is pointed to the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile.
