Shackleford prepares for either Clark or Cigar
The 2011 Grade 1 Preakness Stakes winner, Shackleford, who has lost his last three outings on the trot, will be looking to bow out of his racing career with a solid victory, but it is yet to be decided by his connections, that where the son of Forestry will run his last race before starting his stud career.
Shackleford has been cross-entered in the Grade 1 Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs on 23 November, 2012, which will be run over a distance of 1 1/8 miles over the fast main track, and a day later, in the Grade 1 Cigar Mile at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Potentially, Clark Handicap is the race where the scales will tip, but in either case, Shackleford is preparing his heart out, as he breezed half-mile over the fast main track at Churchill Downs in 47 2/5 seconds on 17 November, 2012.
The half-mile breeze was Shackleford’s first work, since finishing a dismal seventh in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Santa Anita Park on 3 November, 2012, to winner, Tapizar.
Prior to that race, Shackleford finished as a runner-up to, Jersey Town, in the 1 mile long Grade 2 Kelso Handicap at Belmont Park on 29 September, and before that eighth in the Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap over 6 furlongs at Saratoga on 5 August.
Although, the Clark Handicap is run over a distance of 1 1/8 miles, Shackleford hasn’t run over such a distance since finishing seventh in the Grade 1 Donn Handicap, his seasonal debut on 11 February.
As far as purses go, Clark Handicap is marginally better than the Cigar Mile, as Clark holds $400,000 and Cigar Mile holds $350,000.
"We haven't decided yet," trainer Dale Romans said. "There are a lot of factors to consider. We'll make a decision by Monday morning (Nov. 19) because there's a plane to New York on Tuesday."
Shackleford’s connections, co-owners Lauffer and Cubbedge had their say on the issue.
"We'll see how he comes out of the work and we also want to look at the weather," Lauffer said. "We want to run on a nice, fast racetrack. He loves it here (at Churchill Downs) and always runs well here, but he likes it at Aqueduct, too."
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