Adelaide takes path less followed to victory

Turning for home in the $500,000 Secretariat Stakes, Adelaide was taking the lead from Tourist in the four path of the Arlington International turf course.

By the time he reached the finish line, Adelaide had drifted out to the nine or 10th path.

But not to worry.

Maybe the 3-year-old Irish-bred son of Galileo was just in a hurry to get closer to the winner's circle.

Because that's exactly where Adelaide landed moments later with a 1½-length victory over Tourist in 2:02.31.

"He just gets to idling when he gets in front," said Ashford Director of Sales Charlie O'Connor who is a spokesman for the large ownership group. "When he sees other horses coming at him, then he kicks it in. He definitely wasn't tired."

Adelaide, named for fifth-largest city in Australia, won for the third time in six starts (four overseas) and boosted his earnings to $697,452.

"He was the best horse in the race going into it," said jockey Ryan Moore, an England riding champion who went on to win the Beverly D, too, with longshot Euro Charline.

"The horse on the lead (Tourist, the 2-1 second choice with jockey Joel Rosario) was getting a bit of a soft hand, so we didn't want to move up too early. Adelaide just had more class than the field and got the job done."

Adelaide's trainer, Aidan O'Brien, also won the Secretariat with Treasure Beach in 2011 and Ciro in 2000.

Kentucky-bred Tourist, who has run only in the United States for trainer Bill Mott, had won three straight.

"He ran well," said jockey Joel Rosario. "I had to move a little early and the horse that won the race was there with me and he got me. It was (Tourist's) first time going a mile and a quarter and he did well. I'd love to ride him back, for sure."