racetrack (Grade 2)- $350.000 Purse
KEE- For Three Year Olds and Upward
Five and a Half Furlongs on the Turf
April 8, 2023

On Saturday at KEE, we will get a look at a field of ten turf sprinters going to post for the 20th running of the Shakertown. The race was initially a Grade 3 with modest beginnings, having been run for just $100.000. It stayed at that level for over a decade, before eventually getting a bump to $200.000 in 2016 when it was upgraded to a Grade 2. Last year would see the purse increase again, to the $350.000 it runs for here. We’ve seen two horses win this race two years in a row before, with Fuji King doing so in 2006 and 2007, and then Krazy Kruzer in 2010 and 2011. That’s not something that is going to happen again this time, as last year’s winner, The Grandmaster, is not a part of this field. Since struggling in the BC, we have not seen that one return to the racetrack, and if that continues, the Shakertown will go down as his final career victory. Let’s take a moment to look at those who will be out there for the race!

#1- Cherokee Raj (Night Rider Stables, ridden by J L Ortiz)- The last time we saw this horse in the winner’s circle, it was January 2022. He’s tried a few stakes before, but his only wins have come in overnights, and two of them in claimers. Did run third in his last race, the $100.000 Colonel Power at FG, and there are a couple in here that also ran that February day. Hasn’t run five and a half a lot, but looking back at his history, it might quietly be his best distance and should be getting more races like this.

#2- Blanda (Fractious, ridden by A Cedillo)- Claimed from Royalty Stables for $25.000 in December, and made his debut for Fractious for double that claiming tag last month at SA. In that race, he went wire to wire for this third career win. He didn’t do much sprinting for Royalty Stables, but Fractious couldn’t have gotten a better performance when he didn’t make him run long. Now, he’s taking a leap of faith with Blanda as this will be his stake debut. It’s a good test for him, and he should not be ruled out.

#3- The Greek (Arindel, ridden by P Lopez)- This gelding was moved to the turf last summer, and did run fourth in the Quick Call at SAR, but after struggling in the Woodford, it was back to the main track. He turned in some decent finishes there, but no victories. In his last start, it was back to the grass, and he went wire to wire for the win. Now, don’t get too excited over that: it was a $12.000 allowance at TAM. Nonetheless, Arindel saw enough to bring him back to the graded level.

#4- Albaquirky (Santan Stables, ridden by F T Alvarado)- Unlike the three horses starting to his inside, Albaquirky has been a turf sprinter throughout his career. He’s made fourteen starts and managed five wins. Two of those victories are ungraded stakes, including his last race, which was $100.000 Clockers Corner on soft going at SA in late January. In that, he came from well off the pace, so if he’s at the back early on here as well, no one should be writing him off.

#5- Elijah G (Mb Stables, ridden by L Dettori)- No one in this field has made more than Elijah G, as the five-year-old gelding has made over $1,000.000 over his 24 starts. Two of those starts were previous editions of the Shakertown, as he was third in 2021, being within a length of the winner, and then was fifth last year. He won this next two after that race and ended up running in the BC for the second time last fall. He has not really gotten going yet this year in terms of his competition level but returns to a familiar race to change that for 2023.

#6- Solar Goddess (Smokey Stover, ridden by A R Rodriguez)- No one in this field has made less than Solar Goddess, who we need to mention is not a filly running against the males here. He is a gelding, though, and this will be the third start for him, thus far, he only knows how to visit the winner’s circle after a race with two wins against FL-breds, and now he faces his biggest career test. You have to start somewhere, so why not here. Three-year-olds like him do have a massive eight-pound weight allowance, after all.

#7- Thrift Shop (Arkansas Elite, ridden by G Boulanger)- This is the second of the three three-year-olds in the race that are enjoying such a significant weight allowance. For Thrift Shop, he comes into the Shakertown off of an optional claiming win out at SA last month on soft going. That would be his second win in six starts up to this point. His only prior stake attempt was at a mile in the $100.000 Logan, where he was fifth while running at an equal weight as his rivals.

#8- Backup Quarterback (Riggins Racing, ridden by J R Velazquez)- Like a backup quarterback, he’s passed through a couple of teams, or barns over his career but might be getting his chance to shine now with Riggins. The trainer picked him up in early February for $150.000 and got him to break his maiden a week later. Two and a half weeks ago, he appeared in the $100.000 Sensational Star, and got his photo taken with the winner at the wire. That showed he is capable, but the bigger question would be the short turnaround. Despite being relatively lightly raced, he is not one of the threes in here.

#9- Creepy Rocky Party (Mb Stables, ridden by L Saez)- As long as they do not fall victim to the weight allowances the threes get, it’s very easy to see Mb Stables scoring a 1-2 finish here. Creepy Rocky Party is closing in on $900.000 in career earnings and has won his last two: the $100.000 Colonel Power, and then the Grade 3 San Simeon Stakes at SA last month. He’s also a BC runner and ran in the middle of the field here last fall. Seems to be on top of his game and would be the one to beat at even weights. Carrying eight more pounds than three of them? Still think he’s okay.

#10- Sick House (Spankys Barn, ridden by D Van Dyke)- This is the final three-year-old in the field, but like the other two, he does not have much stake experience to speak of, and that is why I think the better older horses are still going to be okay. Sick House has just one win in nine starts, coming right after Spankys Barn claimed him for $40.000 last fall. Made his stake debut last month $100.000 Baffle six weeks ago at SA but was a non-factor work.

Prediction: 9-5-6-1

— NS

Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES