Paddy O'Prado: Luck of the Irish?

PADDY O'PRADO. What a great name for a horse, right?

(Head shot of PADDY O'PRADO courtesy of Photos by Z)

This big gray boy is owned by Donegal Racing and was purchased for a scant $105,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale in 2008 by trainer Dale Romans.  Romans is based at Churchill, so his knowledge of the track will most likely play a role in how his horse runs on Saturday.

PADDY O'PRADO's sire is the Irish stallion EL PRADO, his dam is FUN HOUSE, who is by PRIZED.  He was bred in Kentucky, though, and his jockey is Hall of Famer Kent Desormeaux who has won over 5,400 races in his esteemed career, including a good number of Triple Crown races.

The 3-year-old colt is a graded stakes winner and already has earned his keep at $250,950 in earnings.  PADDY O'PRADO placed second in the Grade 1 Bluegrass Stakes at Keeneland on April 10, which is a 1 1/8 mile race.  The Kentucky Derby, of course, is longer at 1 1/4 miles, and perhaps that will give him enough dirt to pull ahead of the rest of the pack. 

What I like about this horse: As you may know, I'm partial to gray horses...but my friend Evan liked him in the Bluegrass, so I gotta love the PADDY.