Lady Shipman makes Royal North her first graded stakes victory
ETOBICOKE, Ontario — The classy Saratoga shipper Lady Shipman notched her first graded stakes under top-weight of 125 pounds in the $157,300 Royal North at Woodbine on Sunday.
Lady Shipman ($3.30) went straight to the front under Jesse Campbell, and set moderate fractions in the six-furlong turf sprint, while She’s Explosive and Silent Treat took up the chase. Lady Shipman held She’s Explosive at bay throughout the stretch, and got home on top by a length and three-quarters, in a time of 1:07.70 over the firm ground.
“My biggest concern was the gate, and getting out of there as clean as possible,” Campbell said. “The gate crew did a great job. They put a tail on her, and she left there clean as a whistle. She made the lead a little easier than maybe I thought she would. I was able to save horse very quick. With a filly of this quality, it’s going to be a tough day for everybody else.”
Lady Shipman, a 4-year-old daughter of Midshipman, banked $90,000 in the Grade 3 event for Ranlo Investments and trainer Kiaran McLaughlin.
Mississippi Delta edged out another closer, Cactus Kris, for second, in a field reduced to nine after the scratch of Disco Barbie.