NEWS
Shakis rallies late to win Bernard Baruch
Posted: Saturday, August 25, 2007 5:56 PM
SHAKIS
Adam Coglianese/NYRA photo
by Jenny Blandford
Shadwell Stable’s homebred Shakis (Ire) rallied late along the hedge and closed resolutely for a three-quarter-length victory in the $200,000 Bernard Baruch Handicap (G2) on Saturday at Saratoga Race Course to secure his first stakes victory.
Shakis saved ground early on in fourth through an solid opening quarter in :23.10 and dropped back to sixth, more than 2 ½ lengths off the pace, while Ballast (Ire) completed a half-mile in :47.10.
The seven-year-old Machiavellian horse moved up along the inside, squeezed through a narrow opening in upper stretch, and quickly accelerated to the front with a furlong remaining. Under Alan Garcia, Shakis shook clear to complete 1 1/8 miles on firm turf in 1:45.33.
“It was one of the biggest wins of my career,” Garcia said. “I wanted to put him in the best position I could. I was not intimidated by being behind horses. In the early part, I expected some horses to go that didn’t.”
Big Prairie rallied along the inside and split rivals midstretch to secure second, a head in front of third-place finisher Drum Major. Cosmonaut, the 1.65.-to-1 favorite, pressed the early pace, bid earnestly with a quarter-mile to run but flattened out and finished fifth in the ten-horse field.
Trained by Kiaran McLaughlin, Shakis’s previous three starts were at Belmont Park. He entered off a fourth-place finish in the Bowling Green Handicap (G2) on July 15. Prior to that, he finished a close third behind Better Talk Now and English Channel in the Manhattan Handicap (G1) on June 9 after notching a 1 3/4-length win in an allowance/optional claiming race in his North American debut on May 25.
Shakis began his career in France, winning three races and placing in a pair of group stakes for trainer John Hammond before being shipped to United Arab Emirates and trainer Doug Watson.
Out of the winning Nashwan mare Tawaaded (Ire), Shakis improved to six wins from 27 career starts and boosted his earnings to $496,889.
For an Equibase chart, click here.
Jenny Blandford is a Thoroughbred Times assistant daily news editor
