Slim Shadey successful in the third start of the season in the Grade 2, San Marcos Handicap at Santa Anita on 11th February
Out of the three starts that the four-year-old gelding, Slim Shadey, owned by Phil Cunningham and trained by Simon Callaghan made at the dawn on the 2012 season, he has won two.
The most recent being on 11th February in the Grade 2, $150,000 San Marcos Handicap at Santa Anita, raced over 1 ¼ miles on turf.
The gelding of Val Royal, out of Vino Veritas has overall raced in sixteen starts, and posted a third victory of his career through the handicap on 11th February.
Riding with David Flores, the gelding made it through the wire in 2 minutes and 1.55 seconds. The rest did not seem interested in getting to the wire first which was reflective from their lackluster efforts, thus David Flores took complete advantage
of the situation.
"Nobody had speed so we decided to take a chance and take the lead," Flores said. "At that post position I didn’t want to be carried wide so we took a chance and it worked out fine. I believe this horse is getting better every race. The last race he
showed a lot, and he showed even more today."
Sanagas, who was the last participant to leave the track, did challenge Slim Shadey till the mid stretch, but could not sustain the chase for long, and faded soon.
Finishing the closest to the winner was, Utopian, riding with Mike Smith and J. Shirreffs training, Utopian led Norvsky, who ranked third in the race, by ¾
of a length.
"I thought he was in tough today, but when you can go to the front and have tactical speed like him, it’s good," Callaghan said. "There was no real pace in the race and David just gave him a perfect ride. The plan was to go to the front and it’s nice
when the plans come off.”
Even though the lineup was not competitive enough, the performance put on by Utopian was commendable as he accompanied the winner, Slim Shadey, right till the decisive moment.
On 12th January Slim Shadey won an allowance race at Santa Anita that was raced over a distance of 1 ¼ miles on turf, which he covered in a minute and 59.33 seconds.
He finished ninth in his seasonal debut that too was an allowance race on 2ndJanuary at Santa Anita. Prior to this, Slim Shadey has been a part of four graded stakes races, the Grade 1, English 2000 Guineas, and Irish 2000 Guineas, the Grade
2, Royal Lodge Stakes and Grade 3, Tercentary Stakes. These he raced during 2010 and 2011, but failed to be placed in any.
Decisions or plans regarding his future endeavours have not been disclosed as yet, but the extent to which the gelding has pleased his connections would get him a slot in a decent race soon enough.
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