Shippy sails to first stakes win in Blue Sparkler

Shippy became a stakes winner on Saturday, when she set the pace and prevailed in hand in the off-the-turf Blue Sparkler at Monmouth Park. She won the $75,000 race by 4 1/2 lengths over Fujairah, while it was another head back in third to Fast Scene.

The Blue Sparkler was for 3-year-old fillies at 5 1/2 furlongs.

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Shippy ($5.20) set a pressured pace, pushed along by Fast Scene through an opening quarter in 22.13 seconds and a half-mile in 45.36. She went on to cover the distance on a fast track in 1:04.09.

Paco Lopez was aboard for trainer George Weaver.

Shippy is a daughter of Midshipman owned by Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, R.A. Hill Stable, and Joseph E. Besecker. Earlier in her career, she was third by three-quarters of a length in the Grade 3 Schuylerville at Saratoga and fifth in that track’s Grade 1 Spinaway.

Shippy has now won 2 of 5 starts, and the first-place check of $45,000 on Saturday pushed her earnings to $107,600.