**Please see the attached photo of Shackleford. Credit NYRA,
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Contact: John Scheinman
718-659-2244
TENACIOUS, RESILIENT, SPEEDY: SHACKLEFORD
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – He emerged in the public eye last spring in the Florida Derby, winging along on the lead – big, fast and aggressive – and just getting beat by Dialed In at odds of 69-1. From that day on, if there was a major race in the country for 3-year-olds, Shackleford was likely in it.
Participating in an incredible seven Grade 1 events in a single season, Shackleford turned back Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom to win his Classic, the Preakness Stakes, at 1 3/16 miles at Pimlico. By the end of the year, however, trainer Dale Romans had begun to turn back his star in distance, and the decision proved a wise one as Shackleford placed second in the one-turn Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile in November at Churchill Downs.
After faltering to a seventh-place finish in his 4-year-old debut in the 1 1/8-mile Donn Handicap at Gulfstream Park, Shackleford is returning to the middle-distance game where he may be at his most dangerous, and the move begins Saturday at Aqueduct Racetrack in the 112th running of the Grade 1, $400,000 Carter Handicap, a seven-furlong race that is one of most coveted short jewels in all of racing.
Shackleford put in his final preparation for the Carter on April 1, working four furlongs in 47.20 seconds at
“The next couple races are going to be short,” Romans said. “The Carter is seven-eighths and then he’ll go back in the [Grade 1, $750,000] Met Mile [May 28 at
The stallion prospects are now an important part of Shackleford’s future. Last week, owners Michael Lauffer and W.D. Cubbedge sold a share of the son of Forestry to the historic Darby Dan Farm in
Shackleford’s speed, tenacity and iron-horse ability to withstand a rigorous campaign make him enormously attractive as a stallion prospect.
“He’s just a beautifully made horse,” said Robert Hammond, general manager at Darby Dan. “Dale Romans says he’s tough as nails. He ran the hardest campaign of every 3-year-old last year. He took on every horse and his racetrack earnings showed it.”
Shackleford has earned $1,985,803 with three wins and four seconds from 13 starts.
“The Met Mile would be the perfect race for him,”
If all goes well, Shackleford will race through another Grade 1 campaign, with a possible stop this summer in the seven-furlong Grade 1 Forego at Saratoga Race Course on his way to another run in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile.
Because of his routine appearances in the biggest races of the year, his fighting style, and his hambone personality (he loves to roll around in a dirt pit on the backstretch after morning gallops) Shackleford has developed a large following. The colt’s Facebook page had 2,817 fans as of Tuesday.
“He has a big fan club, and a lot of people are always contacting us about him,” Romans said. “He definitely has the biggest fan club of any horse I’ve ever had.”
The trainer expressed no concern that Shackleford has not won since the Preakness. The colt is a big presence and threat in every race he appears in.
“I don’t feel frustrated with him,” Romans said. “He can do anything. He’s danced every dance. He’s been beaten a few times in unfortunate circumstances, but it’s just racing. I wish I had a lot more to frustrate me like him.”
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