Rusty Arnold pair hit wire together in Shakertown with Leinster coming out on top

The field flew across the line and trainer Rusty Arnold knew he had won the Shakertown Stakes. What he didn’t know was which horse had finished first.

“That’s probably the first time in my life I was begging for a dead heat,” Arnold said. “I watched the finish three times and couldn’t tell.”

Wasn’t a dead heat, but the photo took forever to return, and while Leinster appeared to have prevailed by a scant nose, the margin officially went down as a head, the Arnold-trained Leinster just holding on over the Arnold-trained Totally Boss in the Grade 2, $150,000 Shakertown.

Leinster, ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, had to overcome a wide draw, 12, while Totally Boss was racing at a distance, 5 1/2 furlongs, a little short of his ideal trip. He tried hard, came flying under Brian Hernandez Jr., and wins this race in another jump, two at most.

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“I had confidence,” Gaffalione said of the long wait for the photo to come back. “I had the momentum going forward.”

Both Arnold’s horses had momentum going into this race. They exited the same Churchill turf-sprint allowance, where Leinster just slightly lacked the full force of his tactical pace and good finish, coming home second. Totally Boss lost all his chance when a horse came out into him at the three-furlong pole, and Arnold said both horses had thrived in weeks since.

Last year, Leinster and Totally Boss rated among the fastest turf sprinters in North America, Leinster winning the Troy at Saratoga and finishing a tough second at Keeneland in the Woodford, Totally Boss victorious in stakes races at Ellis Park and Kentucky Downs.

Saturday, Gaffalione kept Leinster outside and in the clear while stalking a heated front-end battle, Bound for Nowhere leading Tiger Blood and Just Might through a quarter mile in 21.16 seconds, a half in an eye-catching 43.55. The other two speeds threw in the towel but the classy, talented Bound for Nowhere, winner of this race in 2018, battled on, engaging Leinster as Gaffalione moved to take the lead at the furlong pole.

Totally Boss, ninth early, then eighth, and sixth at the stretch call, was flying on the far outside, just losing a head bob in a strong effort. Bound for Nowhere also turned in a highly commendable performance, holding third, a neck behind Totally Boss.

The winning time on firm, very glib ground was a course-record 1:00.86. Fast Boat came between horses to finish fourth, while Extravagant Kid followed Totally Boss into the final furlong but couldn’t keep up with him, finishing fifth. Wildman Jack, the narrow 3-1 favorite over Bound for Nowhere, never got out of last place. Smart Remark and also-eligible Nitrous were scratched.

Arnold trains Leinster ($22.40) for Amy Dunne, Brenda Miley, Westrock Stables, and Jean Wilkinson. Leinster, a 5-year-old horse, is by Majestic Warrior out of Vassar, by Royal Academy. His half-brother, Stormy Liberal, was among the best turf sprinters anywhere for a couple years, twice winning the Breeder’s Cup Turf Sprint.

The Breeders’ Cup is at Keeneland this year, and Arnold said he would work back from the BC Turf Sprint with both his horses. They can hardly run any better in November than they ran in July.