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Dreaming Of A Derby Victory

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By SCOTT CARTER

The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 2, 2008

Donald Adam has been chasing dreams all his life. The 73-year-old Tampa banker has accomplished most of them, carving out a life of business success and philanthropy that reflects the American Dream.

One childhood dream was put on hold.

A son of a military father, Adam always had a passion for horses, but there was no money or time for a thoroughbred as Adam moved from place to place as a child. The dream never completely faded, and a few years ago he finally got that horse. Actually, several horses.

Adam's 370-acre spread in Ocala, Courtlandt Farms, has produced some worthy race horses, paving the way for Adam's latest dream: winning Saturday's 134th running of the Kentucky Derby with a long-striding chestnut colt named Adriano, a spinoff of Adam's middle name, Adrian.

If Adriano succeeds in the crowded 20-horse field, Adam will become only the second Tampa Bay area owner to win horse racing's most prestigious event, joining the late Dennis Diaz, who won the 1985 Derby with Spend a Buck.

"It would truly be one of the highlights of my life if we can win this race," Adam said.

Adriano is 30-1 on the early line and drew the No. 15 post for the race, in which Big Brown is listed as the 3-1 favorite. The son of 1992 Belmont winner A.P. Indy, Adriano shot onto the Kentucky Derby scene by winning the Lane's End Stakes at Turfway Park in Kentucky on March 22 under Edgar Prado, who guided Barbaro to a Derby victory two years ago at Churchill Downs.

While racing pundits question whether Adriano can pass the test on dirt - in his only race on dirt, Adriano finished ninth on Feb. 24 in the Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park - trainer Graham Motion is pleased with the way the horse performed in his final workout on Sunday.

"You'd be pretty unlucky to breed a horse to A.P. Indy and not get a horse that can handle the dirt," Motion said.

Adam has had one other taste of Derby success. In 2000, Courtlandt Farms-bred Impeachment finished third, 51/2 lengths back of winner Fusaichi Pegasus. Nowadays, Adam no longer sells horses he breeds and raises, which is what makes Adriano's quest for history so special.

"He's like one of our children," Adam said.

A native Texan, Adam spends most of his time in Florida, owning homes in Ocala and a condominium on Bayshore Boulevard in Tampa. In 2005, he launched Tampa-based American Momentum Bank, using $91 million of his money to capitalize the project. USF President Judy Genshaft is one of the bank's board members.

Why start a new company with millions in the bank at 70, an age when most folks are retired?

"I had the plan to build a bank in Florida long before I sold the bank in Texas," said Adam, who reportedly sold First America Bank for $750 million. "We will probably grow to be the largest bank based in Tampa in probably the next year or two."

Adam has yet to experience similar success on the track. His best success has come with a pair of female horses he purchased at auctions: Sweet Talker and Film Maker. Both have won graded stakes under Adam's ownership, but nothing near the stage Adriano will race on Saturday.

"I have enjoyed reasonable success in the world of business, but I have not enjoyed reasonable success in the thoroughbred business," he said. "At this time, we probably have greater prospects than we've ever had before. I've got a sense that maybe my luck with the thoroughbreds is on the upswing."

Based on Adam's life, you might not want to bet against him.

Reporter Scott Carter can be reached at (850) 294-3088 or scarter@tampatrib.com.

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