LOUISVILLE, KY (Saturday, May 5, 2012) – Michael Lauffer
and Bill Cubbedge’s homebred Shackleford outdueled Breeders’ Cup
Sprint (Grade I) winner Amazombie in a dazzling stretch duel to win the
78th running of the $441,600 Churchill Downs Presented by Navistar
(GI) by a length on Saturday afternoon.
Ridden
by Jesus Castanon and trained by Dale Romans, Shackleford notched
his first victory since winning the Preakness last May. In his past two
Churchill Downs appearances, Shackleford had finished fourth in the Kentucky
Derby (GI) and second in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (GI).
Shackleford covered the seven furlongs on a fast main track in 1:21.06.
Will’s
Wildcat led the field of eight sprinters through a first quarter-mile in
:21.96 with Shackleford and Amazombie, ridden by Mike Smith, in closest
pursuit.
Amazombie and Shackleford cruised past Will’s Wildcat leaving the backstretch
and raced as a team to the head of the lane. Amazombie took a brief advantage
only to have Shackleford rally back on the inside in the final sixteenth of a
mile to secure the victory.
A
4-year-old son of Forestry out of the Unbridled mare Oatsee, Shackleford added
$265,578 to his bankroll that swelled to $2,291,381 with a record of 15-4-4-1.
Shackleford returned $5.60, $3.20 and $2.40. Amazombie paid $3.20 and $2.40 in
finishing five lengths in front of Gantry, who paid $4.20 to show under Richard
Eramia.
Alma
d’Oro was another three-quarters of a length back in fourth and was
followed in order by Smiling Tiger, Apriority, Hamazing
Destiny and Will’s Wildcat.
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