Shakis injured, euthanized

INGLEWOOD, Calif. Shakis, who won the Grade 2 Bernard Baruch Handicap at Saratoga in 2007 and 2008, was euthanized on Friday after suffering a leg injury following a workout at Hollywood Park, trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said.

The injury occurred after Shakis worked a half-mile in 49.20 seconds on the main track.

"They had to put him down," McLaughlin said. "Its a real shame. He was a neat horse. Its tough."

Shakis, who finished 11th in the Breeders Cup Mile at Santa Anita on Oct. 25, was at Hollywood Park being prepared for a start in the Grade 1 Citation Handicap next Friday. An 8-year-old, Shakis won 7 of 34 starts and $860,532.

"He was a barn favorite," McLaughlin said.

Owned and bred by Shadwell Farm, Shakis raced on three continents Asia, Europe and North America.

In Europe, as a 3-year-old in 2003, Shakis was second in two Group 3 races. In Dubai, he placed in a Group 3 race over 1 1/8 miles on turf in 2005 and was later 10th behind Electrocutionist in the $6 million Dubai World Cup in 2006.

Shakis was sent to the United States, and McLaughlins stable, in the spring of 2007. Aside from the wins in the Barnard Baruch, he was third in the Grade 1 Manhattan Handicap at Belmont Park in 2007 and second in the Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland on Oct. 4 of this year.