NEWS
Derby third-place finisher Paddy O’Prado returns
Posted: Tuesday, June 15, 2010 4:18 PM
PADDY O'PRADO
Coglianese Photo
by Mike Curry
Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) third-place finisher Paddy O’Prado will return to turf for the $500,000 Colonial Turf Cup Stakes (G2) on Saturday at Colonial Downs after contesting the first two legs of the Triple Crown.
The El Prado (Ire) colt won the Palm Beach Stakes (G3) on the grass in March at Gulfstream Park before trainer Dale Romans and owner Donegal Racing decided to test him on the main track to see if they had a classics contender. Paddy O’Prado responded with a runner-up finish in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G1), giving his connections the confidence to move on to the Kentucky Derby on May 1 at Churchill Downs.
Paddy O’Prado closed from well off the pace in the Derby to put himself in striking position at the eighth pole, but he could not keep pace with Super Saver and settled for adding a Derby third-place finish to his résumé. Paddy O’Prado went on to the Preakness two weeks later and never threatened while finishing sixth after a wide trip.
The gray or roan colt breezed a half-mile in :48.60 on Tuesday on the main track at Churchill in preparation for the 1 3/16-mile Colonial Turf Cup for three-year-olds. Paddy O’Prado has one win, one second, and two thirds from four starts on grass.
The Colonial Turf Cup also drew Lane’s End Stakes (G2) winner Dean’s Kitten, 14th in the Kentucky Derby; American Turf Stakes (G2) winner Doubles Partner; and Arlington Classic Stakes winner Workin for Hops among seven entrants. Trainer Barclay Tagg will send out Kindergarden Kid, who has won two straight races on turf and has run well in all three career starts.
Also on the card at Colonial Downs, multiple graded stakes winner Tizaqueena will meet graded stakes winner Shared Account in the $150,000 All Along Stakes (G3), a 1 1/8-mile turf race for fillies and mares three years old and older.
Tizaqueena has amassed three stakes wins from four starts this season with an unplaced finish on yielding turf in the Churchill Distaff Turf Mile Stakes (G2) on May 1 at Churchill her only setback. Last year’s First Lady Stakes (G1) runner-up enters off a win in the Arlington Matron Handicap (G3) on May 29 at Arlington Park.
Trained by Mike Stidham for owner Darley Stable, the Tiznow mare won the Churchill Distaff Turf Mile in 2009.
Shared Account won the Lake Placid Stakes (G2) and placed twice in Grade 1 races last year for trainer Graham Motion. The four-year-old Pleasantly Perfect filly enters off a fourth-place finish in the Gallorette Handicap (G3) on May 15 at Pimlico Race Course, where she finished three-quarters of a length behind winner Rainbow View.
Mike Curry is a Thoroughbred Times TODAY editor
June 19, $150,000, 3yo & up, f&m, 1 1/8M, Colonial Downs, 4:39 PM ET
| Post |
Horse |
Sire |
Weight |
Jockey |
Trainer |
| 1 |
Dynaslew 4, f. |
Dynaformer |
124 |
Alan Garcia |
Seth Benzel |
| 2 |
Kitty Cat Express 5, m. |
Cat Thief |
118 |
Sheldon Russell |
Butch Silva |
| 3 |
Blind Date 4, f. |
Not For Love |
118 |
Rosemary Homeister, Jr. |
Hamilton Smith |
| 4 |
Tizaqueena 5, m. |
Tiznow |
122 |
E. Baird |
Michael Stidham |
| 5 |
Shared Account 4, f. |
Pleasantly Perfect |
118 |
Edgar Prado |
H. Motion |
| 6 |
Katara 4, f. |
Pulpit |
118 |
Garrett Gomez |
Michael Matz |
| 7 |
Omega Cat 4, f. |
Omega Code |
118 |
Jermaine Bridgmohan |
Martin Wolfson |
| 8 |
Casablanca Smile (CHI) 4, f. |
Ocean Terrace |
124 |
Kent Desormeaux |
Claude McGaughey III |
June 19, $500,000, 3yo, 1 3/16M, Colonial Downs, 5:19 PM ET
| Post |
Horse |
Sire |
Weight |
Jockey |
Trainer |
| 1 |
Paddy O'Prado 3, c. |
El Prado (IRE) |
121 |
Kent Desormeaux |
Dale Romans |
| 2 |
Workin for Hops 3, g. |
City Zip |
119 |
E. Baird |
Michael Stidham |
| 3 |
Kindergarden Kid 3, c. |
Dynaformer |
117 |
Cornelio Velasquez |
Barclay Tagg |
| 4 |
Vamos a Ver 3, c. |
Smart Strike |
119 |
Edgar Prado |
H. Motion |
| 5 |
Doubles Partner 3, c. |
Rock Hard Ten |
121 |
Garrett Gomez |
Todd Pletcher |
| 6 |
Dean's Kitten 3, c. |
Kitten's Joy |
117 |
Alan Garcia |
Michael Maker |
| 7 |
Two Notch Road 3, g. |
Partner's Hero |
119 |
Sheldon Russell |
Glenn Thompson |
