Five-straight specialist Adonis wins again
Four-year-old chestnut gelding Adonis, from the barn of leading trainer Anthony Nunes, marched to his sixth career win after romping home in an optional Claiming ($750,000$700,000) spread going over the five straight (1,000m) course on Saturday.
Coincidentally, all six wins have come over the straight five course.
Adonis won the $870,000 Mercury Sprint on his debut on January 27, 2018 over the distance in 1:00.0 minute. He then notched four consecutive wins over the distance on September 29, 2018 in 57.3 seconds; December 29, 2018 in 58.4 seconds; on January 30, 2019 in 58.3 seconds; and on February 16, 2019 in 58.0 seconds.
Last Saturday was no exception, as the Blue Pepsi Lodge – La Reina offspring came home in a time of 59.0 seconds for his 4 ½-length win.
“Well he [Adonis] loves the five straight and we dropped him down in class in claiming here. I don’t know if they have taken him but I hope they don’t, because I obviously have a little sentimental attachment to the family of them and all of La Reina’s children.
“But this is business and we have to run them where they’re competitive. We had expected it [the win]. He is down in claiming and so we expected him to win, and he did.
“With him not being claimed that would be great, as that means we have another shot again — and we might be going up to maybe $1 million claiming race or $750,000 again and so at least we’ll get a couple more shots off him.
“Adonis has had his issues. I mean, at this stage of the game he definitely has issues and so you know, we have to put him where he doesn’t have to run as hard as when he’s in allowance company,” Nunes told The Supreme racing Guide.
Ridden by apprentice Reyan Lewis, Adonis got a good break but had to settle behind the speed for the first half of the race. Dee Danger (Shamaree Muir) led the field ahead of Five Star (Linton Steadman) and Zebrano (Shane Richardson) in the early exchanges.
Coming across the dummy rails, Adonis got himself in a striking position behind Dee Danger, and with strong urging from Lewis, Adonis found top gear and powered away from the field to win easily in the end. Five Star outbattled Dee Danger for second money.