Shannon C starts off year on winning note in TRAO Classic Sprint
Shannon C launched his 7-year-old season Tuesday with a gritty, two-length win over Tommyhawk in the $55,000 TRAO Classic Sprint at Will Rogers Downs near Tulsa.
It was the first time in the race’s last five runnings that it was not won by a horse named Welder.
The now-retired Welder had been such a dominant force in the TRAO Sprint Classic for 3-year-olds and up bred in Oklahoma that the race did not even fill last meet. But this year, Shannon C was part of a field of seven in what was his first start since November.
Shannon C ($7.80) jumped out to the lead with Jolly Jumper and the pair dueled through an opening quarter in 22.30 seconds. They carried on around the turn, with Shannon C taking over after a half-mile in 44.98 seconds. Shannon C pushed on after the quick fractions, and covered the six furlongs on a good track in 1:10.26.
Leandro Goncalves was aboard for trainer Scott Young.
Shannon C is a top Oklahoma-bred sprinter. Last year, he captured the Oklahoma Classics Sprint at Remington Park over Welder, who was making his career finale.
Shannon C is a gelded son of Latent Heat and the multiple stakes-winning mare Miranda Diane, who was honored with a stakes race in her name Monday at Will Rogers.
Shannon C is a now a four-time stakes winner and has earned $392,646 for his breeder and owner, B and S Racing. Overall, Shannon C is 8 for 29.