Vekoma returns a winner in Sir Shackleton Stakes

The multiple graded stakes winner Vekoma, away since a 12th-place finish in last year’s Kentucky Derby, made a successful return to the races Saturday with a solid 3 3/4-length victory in the $75,000 Sir Shackleton Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

Saving ground in fourth position early on down the backside, jockey Manny Franco tipped Vekoma out into the clear approaching the quarter pole. With one smack of Franco’s left-handed whip, Vekoma overtook the pace-setting Yorkton and drew clear in the final sixteenth.

Yorkton finished second by 1 3/4 lengths over He Hate Me. Bourbon Resolution, last early, rallied to be fourth and was followed, in order, by Home Base, Bourbon Calling, Garter and Tie, Last Judgment, Hy Riverside, and Jackson.

For Vekoma, the win was his fourth in six starts. At 2, he won the Grade 3 Nashua at Aqueduct. At 3, he captured the Grade 2 Blue Grass Stakes. He only ran for about six furlongs of the Kentucky Derby before fading to 13th. He was ultimately placed 12th with the disqualification of Maximum Security.

Weaver said Vekoma came out of the race with some “aches and pains” and just needed time off. He chose the Sir Shackleton as a way to get Vekoma’s year started after it became apparent more prestigious options like the Commonwealth at Keeneland the Carter at Aqueduct would not be available.

“He didn’t necessarily have to win, there were some legitimate horses in there and we hadn’t run for awhile,” Weaver said. “I guess he was the class. We’re hoping we can increase his stud value.

“With everything that’s going on in the world, winning a horse race can help you put your thoughts aside and be happy,” Weaver added.

Vekoma, a son of Candy Ride owned by Randy Hill and the Gatsas Stables, covered the seven furlongs in 1:21.92 and returned $5.20 as the favorite.

Decorated Invader comes from way back in Cutler Bay

Decorated Invader, a Grade 1 winning 2-year-old of 2019, made a successful 3-year-old debut by rallying from next-to-last while going six wide under Joel Rosario to win the $100,000 Cutler Bay Stakes by 1 1/4 lengths.

South Bend, who rallied five wide under Julien Leparoux, finished second, three-quarters of a length in front of Get Smokin, who attended a hot early pace.

Decorated Invader, a son of Declaration of War owned by West Point Thoroughbreds, William Freeman, Willian Sandbrook, and Cheryl Manning and trained by Christophe Clement, won the Grade 1 Summer Stakes at Woodbine last September. He was making his first start since he finished fourth in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf last Nov. 1 at Santa Anita.

Saturday, Rosario had Decorated Invader 11th of 12 early while Inter Miami, a 130-1 shot, outsprinted Get Smokin to the lead through a quarter in 22.53 seconds and a half-mile in 45.59.

Get Smokin inherited the lead before the quarter pole and maintained a 1 1/2-length advantage in midstretch. But Rosario had Decorated Invader in the clear and moving, and he took over from Get Smokin in deep stretch while easily outfinishing South Bend

Decorated Invader, who gave Clement his third victory in five runnings of the Cutler Bay, covered the one mile over firm ground in 1:33.12 and returned $5.60 to win.

The victory came one day after Clement won his 2,000th career race when Gufo captured Friday’s nightcap.

Highland Glory gets up in Sanibel Island

Highland Glory, despite rallying four wide and drifting out in deep stretch under Paco Lopez, was able to rein in pacesetting Cheermeister and win the $100,000 Sanibel Island Stakes by a neck. Cheermeister held second by a half-length over She’s My Type.

The win was the second in as many starts on turf for Highland Glory, a full sister to $725K earner Highland Sky, owned by Steadfast Stable and trained by Barclay Tagg.

Lopez had Highland Glory in sixth place and three-wide early while Cheermeister, a two-time Grade 3 stakes winner at this meet, was loose on the lead through a half-mile in 47.35 seconds. Around the far turn, Lopez began to make his move on Highland Glory and she had to come into the lane four to five wide.

Highland Glory was steadily gaining on Cheermeister who was not stopping under Emisael Jaramillo. Despite veering out several paths late, Highland Glory got up.

“He was getting into her pretty good left-handed and she’s not used to being hit left-handed,” trainer Barclay Tagg said. “She’s still pretty green and she shot right across the track.”

Highland Glory covered the one mile in 1:34.42 over firm ground and returned $9.80 as the third choice.

Stunning Sky finished fourth, followed by Walk In Marrkesh, How Ironic, Lucky Polly, Heir of Light, favored Seducer, Fujairah, and Onyx.