The way i read his line, he started out his 3 yr old campaign at 1 1/8th. That\'s really tough. But he won vs a decent field after bearing in in the stretch, and he moved forward from his two yr old top. That\'s a nice effort. He then came back on only 3 weeks rest and tried the FOY. Caught the outside post and a wide trip, made a move on the 2nd turn into contention and came up empty. Jock never persevered with him from the top of the lane down. You can see it in the replay. Stable then gave him 21 days until his next work. He responded, began to train forwardly and made a nice showing in the FL Derby. He chased/set some pretty quick fractions after going 3W on the first turn, which is very tough for any horse to do at Gulfstream. He dusted the other speed and drew away into the second turn and was the only speed horse to hang on in the stretch, barely losing to Dialed In, the probable derby favorite, and SHA actually ran the better fig.
Now he comes into the Derby on 5 weeks rest. He broke his maiden at Churchill and seems to be thriving down there from what I hear. Just about everyone in the circle I run with loves him to hang on for at least a piece of this. He\'s also had 3 races at 1 1/8th this year, which is more than the rest of these can say. Should give him plenty of bottom, and he is training very forwardly in Louisville.
The negative is the final 3/8th of the FL Derby were slow. Even DI\'s closing move wasn\'t all that fast of a move. But watch the replay and see how SHA responds when DI pulls up along side him. Watch how both of those horses put in a spurt to draw away from the rest of the field.
This is a stubborn, game horse. He\'d be my choice for the last of speed horses to be around in the stretch. And if he draws well and the early fractions aren\'t too brutal he could get a piece of this. Mom was a router and has thrown all routers except for Grand Portege. Damsire is Unbridled.
