Vekoma wins the Sir Shackleton Stakes at Gulfstream Park
Coglianese Photos/Ryan Thompson
Vekoma Returns Triumphant in Sir Shackleton
Candy Ride colt raced seven furlongs on a fast surface in 1:21.92.
- By Byron King
Vekoma, unraced since finishing 12th in the 2019 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) at Churchill Downs, reappeared in noticeable fashion March 28 by winning the $75,000 Sir Shackleton Stakes at Gulfstream Park by 3 3/4 lengths over longshot Yorkton.
With jockey Manny Franco subbing for Hall of Famer Javier Castellano, who was off his scheduled mounts after testing positive this week for COVID-19, Vekoma stalked the pace in the seven-furlong Sir Shackleton, as Yorkton sped to the lead with fractions of :22.52 and :45 while being chased by He Hate Me.
Under prompting from Franco, Vekoma began to get involved from fourth on the turn, advancing into third leaving the turn. Then in the stretch, he easily proved best, powering away down the center of the track to win going away. The 8-5 favorite in his 4-year-old debut, he raced seven furlongs on a fast surface in 1:21.92, completing his final eighth of a mile in :12.51. He paid $5.20 for a $2 win wager.
Yorkton outran his 20-1 odds to hold second, turning away 9-2 shot He Hate Me, who weakened to finish 1 3/4 lengths behind the runner-up in the show position.
A son of Candy Ride trained by George Weaver, Vekoma notched his third stakes victory in taking the Sir Shackleton after winning the Nashua Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct Racetrack at 2 and the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G2) at Keeneland at 3. He has now won four of six starts and $833,025 for owners R. A. Hill Stable and Gatsas Stables.
“I was very happy,” Weaver said via telephone after the Sir Shackleton. ”He’s always been a very talented horse. He has already put together a great résumé as a 2- and 3-year-old.
“We had a significant amount of time off after the Derby, an 11-month layoff, first time against older horses. So you just never know how you are going to stack up. I always consider running against older horses for the first time to be like playing pro ball for the first time.”
Bred in Kentucky by Alpha Delta Stables, Vekoma was purchased by R. A. Hill Stable for $135,000 at the 2017 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, where he was consigned by Lane’s End, agent. Vekoma is out of Humana Distaff Stakes (G1) winner Mona de Momma, a Speightstown mare whose other foal to race, Bloody Point (by War Front ), won three of six races and $112,980.
Vekoma, who was sidelined after multiple physical setbacks, ranging from a foot issue to bone bruising, had been considered for the seven-furlong Carter Handicap (G1) this spring at Aqueduct, but when that meet was suspended (and later scrapped) due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Weaver opted for the Sir Shackleton. His connections aspire to make him a grade 1 winner, an achievement that would add to his appeal as an eventual stallion prospect.
“This was a great spot to hopefully lead to bigger and better things this year,” Weaver said.
Marcos Meneses celebrates his Hal’s Hope score aboard Identifier at Gulfstream Park
Coglianese Photos/Ryan Thompson
60-1 Shot Identifier Delivers Emotional Hal’s Hope Win
Son of Creative Cause was first North American graded winner for trainer, jockey.
A 60-1 shot making his graded stakes debut provided an emotional victory for his connections March 28 in the $100,000 Hal’s Hope Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park.
Identifier, a 4-year-old son of Creative Cause owned by Gelfenstein Farm, delivered the first graded stakes win in North America for both jockey Marcos Meneses and trainer Oscar Gonzalez.
Meneses rode more than 500 winners, including 2012 Clasico Simon Bolivar (G1) victor Comediante, in Venezuela before venturing to the United States in 2015. Gonzalez saddled Venezuelan runner Guasca to victory in the 2012 Copa Dama del Caribe (G1) in Puerto Rico.
The win brought back old memories for Meneses’ agent, Roger Velez, a former jockey who rode Hal’s Hope to victories in the 2000 Holy Bull Stakes (G3) and Florida Derby (G1) and in the 2002 Crème Fraiche Handicap (G3) and Gulfstream Park Handicap (G1). The Crème Fraiche was renamed for Hal’s Hope in 2003.
“It was very special to me,” Velez said. “That was my horse.”
Identifier was sent off as the second-longest shot in a field of 11 for the 1 1/8-mile Hal’s Hope. Coming off a Feb. 1 win by a head in an off-the-turf $45,000 allowance/optional claimer over the same distance at Gulfstream, he trailed early, then powered down the center of the track to reel in front-running favorite Bodexpress.
Last year’s Florida Derby runner-up as a maiden and the 2-1 choice in the Hal’s Hope, Bodexpress was gunned to the lead by jockey Emisael Jaramillo but was outrun by Rare Form, who shifted over from post 10 to lead through an opening quarter in :23.34. Bodexpress turned up the pressure after a half in :47.24, cruised past the leader through three-quarters in 1:11.04, and turned for home with the advantage.
Meneses, meanwhile, settled Identifier into a rhythm well back while saving ground along the rail midway into the far turn, then swung well wide approaching the stretch, and set down for a drive to the wire, surging by inside the final sixteenth of a mile en route to a one-length victory.
“I’m very grateful to Mr. Gonzalez and I’m very happy for the horse. He’s a good horse,” Meneses said. “This race today had a lot of speed. I just waited and waited all the way. I began my race from the three-eighths pole. The horse was perfect.”
Identifier returned $123 on a $2 win ticket and completed the distance in 1:50.25 over a fast main track.
Just Whistle, a 24-1 shot, got up late for second over Bodexpress, who held for third. Eye of the Jedi, Prompt, You’re to Blame, Sir Anthony, Harvey Wallbanger, American Tattoo, Realm, and Rare Form completed the order of finish.
Bred in Kentucky by Heinz Steinmann out of the Shakespeare mare Can’t Catch Kate, Identifier improved his record to four wins and four seconds from 11 starts, with earnings of $168,390. He went through the auction ring three times—first as a $17,000 RNA at the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale in 2016. He then sold for $30,000 to G.S. Inversiones Hipicas from Hunter Valley Farm’s consignment to the 2017 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, and was an $80,000 purchase by Crawford Farms from Off the Hook’s consignment to the 2018 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training.
Identifier is the lone winner from three starters out of four foals produced by his dam, who has been bred five times to Creative Cause. Her 2019 Creative Cause filly died, and she was bred back to the Airdrie Stud sire for 2020.
fonte : Bloodhorse.com
