Jr Shadow Boy brings big Beyers to Sagamore Sired Handicap

The unbeaten Jr Shadow Boy is putting up the kind of Beyer Speed Figures that suggest he has a bright future. He will get his first test at the stakes level Wednesday in the $100,000 Sagamore Sired Handicap at Horseshoe Indianapolis.

The 5 1/2-furlong race for Indiana-sired 3-year-olds shares a card with its counterpart for 3-year-old fillies, the $100,000 Swifty Sired Handicap. Each race drew 13, with the maximum field size 12.

Jr Shadow Boy owns the meet’s top two Beyer Figures, a 99 for an April 7 win in a first-level allowance and a 95 for a second-level allowance May 2.

The starts were the first of the year for Jr Shadow Boy, who launched his career last season at Indiana with a maiden special weight win over statebreds Nov. 13. He returned to action this spring, and overall is 3 for 3. His wins have come by a combined margin of 26 lengths.

Hannah Leahey, who has ridden Jr Shadow Boy in each of his starts for trainer Joseph Davis, has the mount again Wednesday.

Jiminez Racing Stable owns Jr Shadow Boy, who was a $3,500 purchase at the Indiana fall yearling sale in 2024. The horse’s sire, Unbridled Express, won his maiden at Churchill Downs with a Beyer of 91 and in his next start ran third in the Grade 1 Hopeful at Saratoga.

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Jr Shadow Boy is moving back to the straight 3-year-old ranks after defeating older rivals last out. He could show the way or get a stalking trip behind Socorro’s Prayer, Fools Jester, and Grey Eclipse, front-runners who will all break to his inside.

Jr Shadow Boy will start from post 9.

Hard Luck Prayer could be a late threat as he is cutting back from a mile. He won a second-level allowance at the distance May 18, defeating older rivals and earning a notable Beyer of 85. Hard Luck Prayer has won his last three starts. The wins have all come under Andres Ulloa, who again has the mount for trainer Robert Gorham.

Swifty Sired

Filly Named Bruzz will attempt to back up a romping debut win with a stakes victory in the Swifty Sired.

Filly Named Bruzz increased her advantage at every call in the maiden special weight for Indiana-breds, which she won by 10 1/2 lengths April 29.

The Beyer of 67 she earned in the six-furlong race is the best career number in the Swifty Sired.

Filly Named Bruzz is a daughter of the Bernardini stallion Shagaf, who won the Grade 3 Gotham. Filly Named Bruzz is out of the mare Copper Nickel, who was a two-time stakes winner in Indiana.

Evin Roman has the mount from post 9 for trainer Ethan West.

Filly Named Bruzz races for her breeder, Frank Brown, as well as Doris Book and Andrew D. Farris.

The chief threats include Prayer Unbridled, who opened her season May 5 with a first-level allowance win over six furlongs at Horseshoe Indianapolis.

Relentless Chick won at this distance in her last start, taking a first-level allowance here over older rivals May 26 at Indiana.

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