Desolation Island takes the Gr-1 Shoemaker Mile over 3yo Solow (#7), earns career best 103 SRF speed rating.

Shoemaker Mile (Grade 1) (BC)- $400.000 Purse
SA- For Three Year Olds and Upward
One Mile on the Turf
June 3, 2017

Desolation Island is not a new name to the turf circuit. This five year old gelding is a champion, and is half a length short of being able to say he is a BC Turf Champion. He never fell off the radar, but as 2016 ended, there were some new turf horses beginning to take over the spotlight that he had been in. Desolation Island was not ready to give away any of that, and his start to 2017 is the best of his career for any year, and that’s saying something. Last year, for example, he won the Makers Mark Mile, but fell short in the Shoemaker Mile. This year, he would win the Makers Mark again, but would not be denied here today. His second place finish in the BC Turf came in 2015, and after missing out on the BC fun last year, he seems to be determined to get all the way back, this time likely for the BC Mile. The winning trainer is Mb Stables, recording his first such win in the stake, and the same holds true for jockey I Ortiz Jr. Congratulations to them! The time of the win was 1:32.73, placing it second quickest in the stake’s four year history at SA. Here’s a deeper look!

(1/4 Mile- :23.10)- From the outside, both Aggravation (Mb Stables) and Solow (Blushing Meadows) break quickly out of the gate and battle between themselves for the lead. Aggravation would eventually be the one in front for the run around the opening turn, with Solow keeping him company to his outside, a half length back. They would be three lengths quicker then anyone else. Back in third, Hold The Mach (Night Rider Stables) and Valiant Charge (Threshold) were side-by-side battling for that position. At the back, the three trailers would be Yankee Baseball (TwinTowersRacing), Fire Up The Night (John Henry), and Desolation Island (Mb Stables). Our eventual winner was between those two, and had a reasonable five lengths to make up at this point as he saved ground.

(½ Mile- :46.02)- The field of seven seemed to all be content with having an uneventful trip down the backstretch. There was little movement, even as we began to move into the turn. Up front, Aggravation and Solow were still side by side with a three length gap to the third place Hold The Mach. Fire Up The Night looked like he may have had some thoughts about going to the outside of Valiant Charge here, but decided to either call it off, or R Bejarano didn’t have the horse underneath him to make it work. Yankee Baseball looked to come off the rail a little bit to target room to the outside of Hold The Mach, while Desolation Island, still about five lengths back, was in tight behind Valiant Charge.

(Top Of Stretch, 1.5F to Go)- As we rounded the turn, the field of seven began to get much closer from front to back, though even now the running order was mostly unchanged. However, a fantastic stretch run seemed to be setting up, and all seven horses still seemed to have a very good shot at this point. The front runners, Aggravation and Solow were still holding on to the top two spots, but their three length lead on third place started to disappear. Still, they still had a big enough cushion to where they could hang on. Yankee Baseball had succeeded in splitting Hold The Mach and Valiant Charge, who were losing their grip on the third place battle. Desolation Island had run patiently to this point, and was able to get to the outside of Valiant Charge without much problem. He had moved up to fifth, and in his clear lane, he was looming as a major threat. Fire Up The Night was beginning to lose touch, but even if he could have a second wind, he was still in striking range.

(Finish- 1:32.73)- Desolation Island, the multiple time graded stakes champion, knows what it takes to win a race like this, and in a calculated fashion, made his way past the two hanging tough front runners, as well as Valiant Charge, to score the victory, his second win a row! Valiant Charge looked to be following him through and seemed like he was heading for a second place run, until his run died off late, keeping him fourth, as the two front runners, Solow and Aggravation maintained second and third. Solow would prevail over Aggravation late and prent Mb Stables from having a 1-2 finish. Threshold settles for a frustrating fourth in the stretch with Valiant Charge. Hold The Mach was not far off, either, but ends up in the non-check collecting hard luck fifth spot. Yankee Baseball wore his pinstripes well in sixth, about three lengths from the win. Fire Up The Night brings up the rear as he could not quite have the same stretch desire as the others.

About The Winner: Desolation Island, ridden by I Ortiz Jr and trained by Mb Stables, is a five year old gelding by Roaring Fifties and out of Bushie Red Bred. He was bred in California by Blushing Meadows as a yearling, and was acquired by Mb Stables as a young two year old in a $50.000 claiming race in August 2014. They have been together ever since! Congratulations to the connections! Desolation Island has won eleven out of 26 career starts, and this was his sixth graded win, five of which have been Grade 1’s. His career earnings now sit at $2,652.960.

Track: Firm
Time: :23   :46   1:09   1:32³

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 3 – 7 Paid 36.80
$1 Trifecta: 3 – 7 – 6 Paid 130.40

Scratched: None

— NS

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES