11/19/2012 5:36PM

Churchill Downs: Shackleford staying home for Clark

By Marty McGee
Email
Churchill Downs/Reed Palmer Photography
Shackleford, with Jesus Castanon to ride, will be the 120-pound starting highweight Friday in the Grade 1 Clark Handicap.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Trainer Dale Romans has settled on the Clark Handicap, and not the Cigar Mile, as the final career start for Shackleford, the 4-year-old younger half-brother to Afleeting Lady.

“I guess the main factor is just that we wanted to stay home,” said Romans.

Shackleford, with Jesus Castanon to ride, will be the starting 120-pound highweight Friday in the Grade 1, $400,000 Clark, the annual fall-meet showcase. Entries were to be taken Tuesday, with the other probables being Neck ’n Neck, 119; Pool Play, 118; Bourbon Courage, 117; Cease, 117; Take Charge Indy, 117; Lunar Victory, 116; Eye of the Leopard, 115; Mission Impazible, 115; Stealcase, 115; and Fast Falcon, 113.

 

 

Richard More than 1 year ago
vSince The Kentucky Derby of 2011 all the way to the 2012 BC Dirt Mile Shackleford has raced in nothing but Grade 1 and Grade 2 races. I play trifectas and superfectas and of course the win horse is important to me but so is the place and show positions. Out of 19 lifetime starts up to date Shackleford has been in the money about 60% of the time which has made him a good bet for me. This next race at Churchill Downs in the Clark is going to be a nice race to exist from. It seems Dale Roman has kept his horses in good form which is a lot more than I can say for some of the trainers especially this year. He has been my favorite horse from last year’s Triple Crown. It is nice to see that Animal Kingdom is back and Mucho Macho Man ran a great race in The Jockey Club Gold Cup. I hope Shackleford ends well and wish him and his connections nothing but good luck. A devoted fan!
geno More than 1 year ago
We are partners on a horse trained by Dale. We met Shack up close & personal @ Churchill. Beautiful animal who loves the camera! LOL
richard montgomery More than 1 year ago
Love Schack- he has been one of the regular headliners the past couple of years...all heart, gonna miss him. Good luck in the last and happy trails buddy.
Frank More than 1 year ago
Did you happen to see him battle in the Florida Derby (gutsy 2nd), Preakness, Churchill Downs Stakes and Met Mile? Those were some of the most gutsy, exciting displays for a great thoroughbred athlete. I love how this horse psychics himself up before the race and works up a nice sweat. This great performer will be missed.
Carole Cole More than 1 year ago
I'm definitely a Shackleford fan; he's such a beautiful individual....feisty, big and strong...He was definitely one of the main stars that drew my interest over the last two years and I will miss seeing him prancing in the paddock and out on the track. So happy to see him in person the last two Breeder's Cups! Gorgeous. I wish him a fantastic race Friday as well as a successful career at stud!
Terri Zeitz More than 1 year ago
I think Shack will be a popular horse in the breeding shed, just as he has been popular on the track. Classically, an owner/breeder chose a stallion for speed and or stamina. But why not choose a thoroughbred for soundness? Shack has a great pedigree and he's got legs of iron and a great constitution from his great great grandsire: Secretariat. With the majority of the triple crown horses injured in the past few years, breeding for soundness should be an important consideration.
Vinod Jhangimal More than 1 year ago
The Shack may not be in the league of great horses,but this is a horse that showed up at every dance. When the pampered ones were sent to stud, he kept plugging along. The owners could have taken the easy cash after the Haskell yet they were true sportsmen and Shackleford was willing and able AND lucky to remain healthy. For that I shall be grateful to the horse and all the connections. Mr. Romans,I wish you the best of luck in Shack´s final race. May they all come back home safely. I wouldn't hesitate to breed my fillies to him or to buy one of his runners.
Kelly Frazier More than 1 year ago
Hate to see him go, made a lot of money betting against this overrated horse.
laura ban More than 1 year ago
I hate to see him go, a horse with a lot of heart! I will miss him but so great he retires sound.
B More than 1 year ago
He's better suited for the Cigar Mile, but I doubt Groupie Doll's unexpected entry in that race helped encourage them to ship. This will not be a popular opinion, but I don't get the appeal of this horse. Clearly he has talent, but 5 for 19 does not make for a great horse, especially when two of those 5 wins were a maiden race and an allowance race and he has lost 10 Grade 1's vs. two Grade 1 wins!
Rodney More than 1 year ago
Yes I agree B, he is something of an enigma. Undoubted ability, and back at Churchill this could be his swansong. However his lack of consistency and the amount of money he will attract, suggests he is worth opposing. Groupie Doll is on a snowball roll, and the obvious factor they are staying at home.
Thomas Cook More than 1 year ago
Agree with first sentence. But this horse ran in every Triple Crown race and won Preakness. Second in Fountain of Youth prior. Then ran second after triple crown in Haskell.. Ran in Travers..second Indiana Derby..second to Calebs Posse in BC Mile at 3.. Won Met Mile over Caleb this yr.. Second in Forego... He doesn't duck horses, won at different distances....HEART..
Thomas Cook More than 1 year ago
also, look who he beat..Animal Kingdom, Mucho Macho Man..
Rodney More than 1 year ago
Yes I know his record Thomas, and have a great day when you go and see him. I said enigma, not underestimated. Thats what a true racing fan is all about, travelling to see a horse they love.
ATOWN WHAT More than 1 year ago
People like me like Shackleford because he is a gamer. Goes straight to the lead and says "beat me." The way he ran in the Triple Crown as a 3 y.o. was exactly how you want a horse to challenge the field. Because of his style, he will put up the occasional stinker, as we have seen him do in the mud. He needs to get out in front right off the bat; if he is pinched he doesn't respond well, if he is slow at the start he will lose. I think people also like Dale Romans, and this is one of the best horses he has ever trained. The one mistake I think they made is turning Shack into a miler/sprinter as a 4 y.o. Why? He beat the best horses in his age group at 10 furlongs. He could have done this as an older horse. Imagine what his race in the Breeders Cup could have been like this year, with that kind of a speed track and a field filled with closers. I also think this horse has plenty left. He was a beast in the Met Mile this year. He had a poor summer/fall season after getting in the mud and sick at Saratoga. People are down on him. Perfect time to bring him back as a 5 y.o. and blast suckers in the handicap division as an overlay. Oh well. I'll miss him.
Mine thatbird More than 1 year ago
I could be wrong but I don't think those of us who like him think he is great. Regardless, its nice that people like a horse that isn't close to perfect Objectively, it seems his popularity stems from his Preakness win. He was always the underdog (except 1x) until after that Preakness. After that point he was mostly over bet.