Shediak on a roll after 21 straight defeats, as he tries his luck in the Kentucky Cup at Turfway
After losing 21 races on the trot, the French bred 6-year-old gelding, Shediak, is turning his 2011 season around a bit, as the Grade 2, $200,000 Winstar Kentucky Cup Classic has reeled in the California based runner to run at Turfway Park on 24 September,
2011.
In the Kentucky Cup, the California based horses have a history of doing well in the race since in the past, they have had a major impact on the Turfway Park series.
However, recently the issue of declining purse structure of the event has made West Coast runners lose interest.
Nevertheless, this year it’s a renewed series, and it has interested Shediak and his connections to try their luck there, and he is the only Californian horse expected among the five Kentucky Cup events.
The son of Selkirk, out of Shemissa by Fairy King, Shediak is coming off from back to back victories at Del Mar, where he ran in three and won the last two to put his drought to bed.
All this time, Shediak had been rather running on grass or dirt, but a mere change in surface did wonders for the Ben Cecil trained 6-year-old.
Shediak ran over Poly Track after 12 starts on grass, and immediately got the hang of it, panning out his A game.
It was a 6 ½ furlong dash at Del Mar on 20 August, 2011, under new jockey, Patrick Valenzuela, as the pair took on rivals in an allowance claimer over the synthetic surface.
The older horse fizzed past his rivals and covered the 6 ½ furlong distance in a fast 1 minute and 15.89 seconds, downing his closest rivals, Master Chef and Valkyrie Missile, on the way.
After recognising that Shediak feels at home over Poly Track, Ben Cecil opted for another start over the same surface in his next start at the Del Mar.
Next up was the Windy Sands Handicap on 3 September, 2011, but this time it was at about a mile under the same jockey, Patrick Valenzuela, who again guided Shediak expertly to beat El Gato Malo and Achak, who finished second and third, respectively.
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