Lady Shipman shows versatility in record-setting Smart N Fancy win

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Lady Shipman showed two things Saturday in winning the $100,000 Smart N Fancy Stakes at Saratoga. She proved once and for all she can rate, and at the same time, she showed how fast she is.

After the race, trainer Kathleen O'Connell said she told jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. to use his judgment on whether to go to the lead or sit off the pace. Ortiz chose the latter, and Lady Shipman cooperated nicely.

Ortiz put Lady Shipman under a moderate drive in the stretch, and she finished 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:00.46, a new Mellon turf course record. The previous mark of 1:00.59 was set by Fiddlers Patriot in 2010.

O'Connell and Randall Lowe, who bred and owns Lady Shipman, were not surprised by how well lady Shipman relaxed in the race.

"She rated nicely for us when she won in Ocala," O'Connell said.

Lady Shipman sat off the front-running Tahnee early in the Smart N Fancy, took the lead in upper stretch, and pulled off to win by 2 3/4 lengths. She paid $2.80 to win in the six-horse field.

Free as a Bird, the 5-2 second choice, never was more than three lengths back. She finished well but could not gain on Lady Shipman in the stretch. Rumble Doll nosed out Tahnee for third while finishing 2 1/4 lengths behind Free as a Bird.

Ortiz picked up the mount on Lady Shipman after veteran Florida rider Eduardo Nunez, who had been aboard for all nine of Lady Shipman's previous races, had travel problems.

"His flight was delayed getting out of Fort Lauderdale because of a storm," O'Connell said in the paddock before the race. "He missed his connection in Atlanta by just a few minutes.”

Lady Shipman now is 8 for 10 with earnings of $338,000.

Lowe confirmed after the race that the $1 million Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Keeneland on Oct. 31 was the goal for Lady Shipman.

Lowe, a retired insurance executive who lives in Los Angeles and also has a residence in Honolulu, said his sole business now is horseracing.

He said he recently sold a 2-year-old full sister to Lady Shipman to leading New York owner Michael Dubb. Lowe said he has a yearling half-brother to Lady Shipman, whom he plans to sell as a 2-year-old in the Ocala Breeders' Sales March auction.

"I own the mare, Sumthingtotalkabt, and we have Lady Shipman, so I thought we should sell some of her family," Lowe said.

Lowe said he has owned horses for 35 years.

"My CPA tells me if I never owned a horse, I would be $3.2 million richer," he half-joked.