Shalimar Gardens drops from graded stakes to statebred allowance

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – After two unsuccessful attempts in graded stakes company, Shalimar Gardens drops into a first-level allowance restricted to New York-bred females that serves as Friday’s feature at Aqueduct.

Snow is in the forecast for Friday morning, but as of Wednesday it was uncertain how or if it might impact the eight-race card.

Shalimar Gardens, a daughter of Uncle Mo owned by Barry Schwartz and trained by Horacio DePaz, won an open company maiden race by 11 3/4 lengths at Belmont on Sept. 26.

The race proved productive, with runner-up Big City Momma winning her next start at Keeneland and third-place finisher Violent Vixen having won her last two starts, the most recent being a starter allowance in which she earned an 80 Beyer Speed Figure.

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Shalimar Gardens, meanwhile, was ambitiously placed in the Grade 2 Raven Run at Keeneland, where she finished fourth behind winner Caramel Swirl in an 11-horse field. Shalimar Gardens was a well-beaten fourth in the Grade 3 Comely when she tried 1 1/8 miles here on Nov. 26.

Shalimar Gardens had the rail in the Raven Run, which DePaz thought compromised her some in the 11-horse field.

“Drawing inside like that with that many horses, she broke a step slow, got stuck on the rail the entire way, but she showed she can compete at that level,” DePaz said.

The 1 1/8 miles of the Comely proved to be too far for Shalimar Gardens, DePaz said.

The cutback to a one-turn mile and the drop into restricted company is the first step toward what DePaz hopes is ultimately a return to stakes company.

“She’s got her conditions left. Let’s try to build up her confidence and get some wins underneath her,” DePaz said.

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Shalimar Gardens will once again have to contend with the rail.

Destinationwnrscir, trained by Charlton Baker, is coming off a third-place finish in this condition on Dec. 10, her first start following a four-month layoff. Destinationwnrscir’s lone victory came by 9 1/2 lengths going a one-turn mile here last March.

Voice of Spring, a 5-year-old daughter of Commissioner, makes her first start since winning a maiden race versus New York-breds at Belmont in May.