Preakness Stakes 2011 winner - Shackleford’s trainer Dale Romans chooses Fitness over Purse value
Shackleford winning the Grade One Preakness Stakes and getting the purse money wasn’t all he and his connections gained out of the second leg of the Triple Crown.
Trainer, Dale Romans, was aloof of the $50,000 bonus money offered by MI Developments until it got widely publicized that he was going to get if Shackleford wins the Preakness Stakes.
$500,000 were to go to the owners, Mike Lauffer, and, Bill Cubbedge, for landing the Preakness Stakes, when the three year old chestnut colt won while placed at 12 to 1 winning odds, a surprise upset but a pleasant surprise for the owners and trainer.
Now, there is another opportunity knocking at the doors of Mike Lauffer and Bill Cubbedge, to launch their horse in the Grade Two West Virginia Derby, which offers a huge purse of $750,000. The Derby starts on 7 August at Mountaineer Casino.
The other two Triple Crown winners, Animal Kingdom, and, Ruler on Ice, could also be tempted to try their luck at winning huge prize money. The option is open for the other Grade One winners to participate in the West Virginia Derby.
Winning the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, or, the Belmont Stakes, has its perks because these three horses, Animal Kingdom, Shackleford, and, Ruler on Ice, can take home $50,000 (50/50 for owner and trainer) just for starting in the West Virginia Derby. Any three year old Grade One winner can win $150,000 worth of prize money if they win the race.
As always trainer, Dale Romans, is putting the well-being of his horse before purse money offered in the West Virginia Derby. He said he never looks at the money in any race rather what races that can bring them maximum number of wins. Romans won the West Virginia Derby in 2006 with Bright One.
Shackleford, who is likely to start in the $1million Grade One Haskell Invitational, could be considered to start in the West Virginia Derby, because of the wide range of the three year old colts that will be competing in the race. But then again it will be important to know what will be good for the horse.
Shackleford’s connections do have room to contemplate their decision because the West Virginia Derby starts after one week of the Haskell Invitational and then after that they have the Travers Stake Grade One to deal with. So, it’s going to be a tight schedule for the three year old colt,who won the Preakness Stakes, and also ran in the Belmont Stakes.
Hopefully, a decision regarding which race to choose and which to miss will be made according to Shackleford’s fitness and performance.
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