Shanghai Bobby to make his sophomore debut in the Holy Bull Stakes
After a perfect juvenile season over, Shanghai Bobby, will undergo training for his sophomore career, and after 5 victories in as many starts, including victory in the Grade 1 Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, the Todd Pletcher trained colt is without a doubt the early favourite to win the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs next year.
Pletcher will have to design a prep race schedule for Harlan’s Holiday colt, and it is likely that Shanghai Bobby will kick start his 3-year-old campaign in the Grade 3 Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream Park on 26 January, 2013.
The race will be run over a distance of 1 mile, and will be restricted for the 3-year-old colts and geldings. The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner took his first baby steps toward his 3-year-old debut when he turned in an easy half-mile in 52 seconds at the Palm Meadows training center on 17 December, 2012.
“It was just an easy first breeze back,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “I was debating whether to go three-eighths or a half-mile and decided to go an easy half. He did well for a starting point, will come back and breeze again next Monday, and then pick it up from there.”
Out of Orientate mare Steelin’, Shanghai Bobby is yet to lose a race and it all started with a maiden special weight win at Aqueduct Racetrack, where he defeated maidens at first asking going four and one-half furlongs on 19 April, 2012.
Moved to Belmont Park for his first stakes race, and was successful in landing the Track Barron Stakes over a distance of five and one-half furlongs. He covered the distance over the dirt track in 1 minute and 2.87 seconds.
With 2 in the bag of 2, Saratoga beckoned, and the Grade 2 Hopeful Stakes was on the cards, and first real test of Shanghai Bobby against a different and much competitive class, but he dictated his own terms even there and won the race by defeating Fortify, and downed the seven furlong race.
Back to Belmont Park, Shanghai Bobby became grade 1 winner after winning the Champagne Stakes over a mile.
Perfect record in New York, the Kentucky bred colt went down south to participate in the Breeders’ Cup, and victory in the Juvenile seized the 2-year-old honours in favour of Shanghai Bobby.
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