Nolo Contesto Still on Derby Trail After Allowance Loss

Don't count out Hronis Racing's Nolo Contesto as a Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) prospect just yet.

Two days after Nolo Contesto finished a well-beaten second as the 3-5 favorite to Roadster in a first-level allowance at Santa Anita Park, trainer John Sadler said the Pioneerof the Nile  ridgling could take one shot at a Derby prep in April.

"We're not off the trail with Nolo Contesto," Sadler said March 3.

The trainer made his decision after he heard feedback from jockey Joel Rosario about Nolo Contesto's trip in the one-mile allowance March 1. Nolo Contesto had an inside trip throughout, and Rosario indicated the horse was never comfortable on the rail.

LARUE: Roadster Rolls to Victory in Return to Racing

"Joel said he was uncomfortable on the inside, and I felt Mike (Smith aboard Roadster) rode a beautiful race to trap him down in there," Sadler said. "So it's actually going to be a good school. He's only run (three times), so you need to get knocked around and see how they handle adversity. It wasn't a great result, but it was a good experience for him.

"If he comes back good and moves forward, we'll look at a big race in the first part of April. We could ship or whatever."

Sadler didn't indicate which Derby preps he would consider, but April races on the Derby trail include the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G2) at Keeneland, the Santa Anita Derby (G1), and the Wood Memorial Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G2) at Aqueduct Racetrack April 6, as well as the Stonestreet Lexington Stakes (G3) at Keeneland and the Arkansas Derby (G1) at Oaklawn Park April 13.

Nolo Contesto began his career with a troubled debut at Del Mar Dec. 1, when Rosario lost his iron early and he finished fifth. He then broke his maiden Jan. 4, when he bested the talented Omaha Beach by a half-length in a one-mile race at Santa Anita. He was then scratched from the Feb. 2 Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita because of a sloppy main track that day.