Two-time Grade I winner Shaman Ghost led home a Jimmy Jerkens exacta in the historic Pimlico Special, run at the same distance as Saturday's GI Preakness S. The favorite raced alongside GIII Ben Ali S. winner Watershed (Bernardini) in mid-pack as his stablemate Dolphus (Lookin at Lucky), a half-brother to Hall of Famer Rachel Alexandra (Medaglia d'Oro), battled through an opening quarter in :23.84. Shuffled back and pushed out to the three path as Dolphus opened up his lead through a half in :47.91, the bay began a steady advance up the outside after three-quarters went up in 1:12.41 and charged up to greet his barnmate entering the far turn. The Jerkens trainees battled stride-for-stride down the lane with Dolphus refusing to surrender, but Javier Castellano called upon Shaman Ghost's class in the final strides to edge clear late for a narrow success.
“Dolphus had his own way,” Jerkens remarked. “He wasn't exactly walking but he got the three-quarters in 1:12. The way the track was playing today, I thought he had a shot to hang on. Shaman had a little too much for him, but Dolphus ran terrific.”
The conditioner continued, “It's terrific to run 1-2–that's what we came down here for. I remember coming here with Devil His Due three years in a row and he won one of those years. It was always a big deal. I remember my dad [H. Allen Jerkens] came the year he won [1993]. It's great to win for Mr. [Frank] Stronach at his track and it's great to keep Shaman going. Plus, this race fit Shaman's schedule.”
Scoring his first top-level success with a head victory in Saratoga's prestigious GI Woodward S. Sept. 2, Shaman Ghost checked in third behind G1 Dubai World Cup runner-up Gun Runner (Candy Ride {Arg}) in Churchill's GI Clark H. Nov. 25. He completed the exacta behind champion and ultra-impressive next out Dubai World Cup winner Arrogate (Unbridled's Song) in the inaugural $12-million GI Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Jan. 28, a race that was the brainchild of his owner/breeder Frank Stronach. Connections decided to skip Dubai in favor of the GI Santa Anita H. Mar. 11 and that decision proved wise when Shaman Ghost collared MGISW Midnight Storm (Pioneerof the Nile) for a 3/4-length score.
Pedigree Notes:
Claimed for $40,000 by trainer Rafael Becerra on behalf of Phil DeRenzis and Peter Vanderham here in 2006, Shaman Ghost's dam Getback Time proved a useful Cal-bred stakes horse over the next year-plus, but never quite broke through with a blacktype victory, having been DQ'd from first to second in an added-money event over the Hollywood synthetic the following year. Adena Springs acquired her privately some time after she was retired, and Shaman Ghost was her fourth foal. She produced an Awesome Again colt in 2014 named Royal Insignia who has been working at Palm Meadows. Getback Time was sold to Arindel Farm for $42,000 at the 2014 Keeneland November sale, and the Point of Entry colt she was carrying at the time RNA'd for $140,000 at the OBS March Sale. Getback Time produced a Brethren filly in 2016 and was bred back to that sire.
Saturday, Pimlico
PIMLICO SPECIAL H.-GIII, $300,000, PIM, 5-19, 3yo/up,
1 3/16m, 1:54.55, ft.
1–SHAMAN GHOST, 124, h, 5, by Ghostzapper">Ghostzapper
1st Dam: Getback Time (MSP, $384,050), by Gilded Time
2nd Dam: Shay, by Incinderator
3rd Dam: Lookin Like a Lady, by Skywalker
O-Stronach Stables; B-Adena Springs (ON); T-James A. Jerkens;
J-Javier Castellano. $180,000. Lifetime Record: 16-8-2-2,
$3,719,311.[bullet ad=”adena-bred-and-raised”][bullet ad=”ontario-bred”]Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Werk Nick Rating: A++.
2–Dolphus, 118, c, 4, Lookin At Lucky–Lotta Kim, by Roar.
O-Dede McGehee; B-Heaven Trees Farm (KY); T-James A.
Jerkens. $60,000.[bullet ad=”eisamanequine-shell”]3–Conquest Windycity, 118, c, 4, Tiznow–Lasting Appeal, by
A.P. Indy. ($320,000 Ylg '14 FTKOCT; $800,000 2yo '15
OBSMAR; $65,000 3yo '16 KEENOV). O-DARRS, Inc.; B-WinStar
Farm, LLC (KY); T-Brendan P. Walsh. $30,000.[bullet ad=”winstar-bred”][bullet ad=”lanes-end-sales-grad”][bullet ad=”fedamore-stable-llc-trained-at”]Margins: NK, 7 1/4, NO. Odds: 0.40, 6.10, 9.30.
Also Ran: Name Changer, Watershed, Discreet Lover, Fellowship, Eagle, Bodhisattva. Scratched: Noble Bird. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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