Photo: Kevin Creative (Kevin House)
by Jarrod Horak
Which horse has the best
pedigree to handle twelve furlongs in the final leg of the Triple Crown on
Saturday, June 9 at Belmont Park? My Belmont Stakes list concludes with late
entrant My Adonis.
My Adonis’s sire Pleasantly Perfect (by Pleasant Colony)
won 9 of 18 races from 2001-04 including the G1 Breeders’ Cup Classic in ‘03.
The Lane’s End Farm stallion is responsible for Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare
Turf winner Shared Account, multiple graded turf route winner Cozi Rosie, 2-time
‘Big Cap runner-up Setsuko, and recent G3 Affirmed hero Nonios.
Pleasantly Perfect’s sire Pleasant Colony (by His
Majesty) won 6 of 14 starts including the G1 Kentucky
Derby and G1 Preakness. His Triple Crown bid came to a halt with a 3rd
place finish in the 1981 Belmont Stakes. The late sire is responsible for such
prominent runners as Pleasant Tap, Pleasant Stage, St. Jovite, Behrens, and ’93
Belmont Stakes hero Colonial Affair.
Pleasantly Perfect’s dam Regal State (by Affirmed) won the G1
Prix Morny in 1985. She died at age 28 in 2011.
My Adonis’s dam Silent Justice (by Elusive Quality) was
unraced.
Elusive Quality (by Thunder Gulch) won 9
of 20 starts including the G3 Jaipur and G3 Poker Handicap. He has sired numerous
stakes winners including but not limited to Quality Road, Raven’s Pass, and
Smarty Jones.
Silent Justice’s dam Norene’s Nemesis (by King Emperor) won
5 of 45 starts from 1983-85. She also threw graded winner Lakota Brave (by
Northern Prospect).
My Adonis enjoys a sturdy pedigree
with some marathon influences, especially through Pleasantly Perfect and
Pleasant Colony. He seems a cut below on form with no wins and two placings
from four graded starts. His trainer Kelly Breen saddled last year's Belmont Stakes winner Ruler On Ice.