Shadow Rock will cut back to five furlongs for turf feature
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Scooter Dickey won a grass race Sunday at Gulfstream Park with a horse switching from five furlongs to 7 1/2 furlongs. On Thursday, the veteran trainer will attempt to revisit the winner’s circle with a horse doing the exact opposite.
Dickey, perhaps best known for his work with Flat Out several years ago, will send out Shadow Rock in the 10th race, the only allowance on an 11-race card that starts at 12:30 p.m. Eastern. A 5-year-old gelding by Distorted Humor, Shadow Rock will be turning back in distance after faltering around two turns in his most recent start here Jan. 1.
With Edgar Prado named to ride, Shadow Rock is part of an oversubscribed field while entered for a $25,000 claiming option that has turned out to be a key part of the race restrictions. In fact, eight of the 13 entries are in for the optional tag in a $48,000, five-furlong turf race otherwise governed by a first-level allowance condition.
Dickey, 73, won the fourth race Sunday with Jilleah, a 10-1 shot. Based primarily in Kentucky, he entered this week with two wins from five starts and a lopsided $17.20 return on investment at the championship meet that began Dec. 6.
KEY CONTENDERS
Shadow Rock (Last 3 Beyers: 50-89-65)
◗ He was dismissed at 30-1 under these same conditions last month before rallying under Prado for an upset from post 3, the same post he has been assigned here.
◗ He had been trained for much of 2014 by Dickey’s ex-son-in-law, Randy Morse, when competing primarily in turf sprints.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 3 Shadow Rock. Winning effort at 30-1 on Dec. 11 has come back deceptively strong, with two next-out winners and four that registered Beyer Speed Figures of 80 or more in next start. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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Manofmanyvirtues (Last 3 Beyers: 79-31-75)
◗ This son of Kitten’s Joy surely would benefit from a too-fast pace, as he has done his best work from off the pace.
◗ Trainer Brian Lynch, coming off another outstanding year, shows a positive ROI in several of the categories that apply here, including turf sprints ($2.13).
Moonwalker (Last 3 Beyers: 80-73-85)
◗ Claimed last out for the same $25,000 for which he is entered, this Florida-bred gelding has been consistently effective against this brand and now makes his first start for Peter Walder, who shows terrific numbers first off the claim.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 7 Moonwalker. Trainer Peter Walder is 35-5-3-7 with a $1.04 ROI over the past five years on turf in the first start following a claim (3-0-1-0 in turf sprints). Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
Drago’s Best (Last 3 Beyers: 75-72-68)
◗ He should loom a factor throughout given his outer post and actually would be the outside speed if none of the also-eligibles draw in. His career bankroll of $286,787 is second-highest in this field behind the longshot Buongiorno Johnny ($343,984).