Mountaineer: Star sprinters clash

The aging millionaire Shake You Down and young rising star Danieltown meet for the second time in two weeks in Mountaineer's first stakes of the season, the $75,000 Panhandle Handicap at five furlongs.

The first showdown between Shake You Down and Danieltown came in a five-furlong prep for the Panhandle on April 22, and it actually turned out to be no contest. Danieltown, the 3-5 favorite, hopped and swerved at the start, causing jockey Chad Murphy to fall off.

As a 3-year-old last season, Danieltown won the Sophomore Sprint Championship at Mountain-eer with a 110 Beyer Speed Figure. He won his first two starts this season, both in wire-to-wire fashion at Turfway Park.

The 7-year-old Shake You Down, a graded stakes winner of 18 races and $1.3 million, led until the last few strides of the April 22 allowance prep. In his previous start, Shake You Down was a good second in the Grade 3 Toboggan Handicap at Aqueduct.

Onlynurimagination, the horse who beat Shake You Down by a head last time out, is 2 for 2 since he was claimed by trainer Merrill Scherer at Fair Grounds for $50,000.

The field also includes Top Shoter, who last May came off a long layoff similar to what he's attempting in the Panhandle and won a New York-bred sprint stakes at Finger Lakes with a 103 Beyer.