The Lively Shively ($200.000 Purse)
CD- For Two Year Olds
Six and a Half Furlongs on the Dirt
November 27, 2021

In the first ever running of The Lively Shively, everything seemed to be looking good for No More Rattle. The horse that was claimed for just $12.500 by Bigchief Stables when he debuted in a maiden claiming race, seemed to be ready to run a strong race. After breaking his maiden at CD, he narrowly missed out in the $150.000 Bowman Mill. This time, there would be no missing out at all, as the horse that we did pick to win before the race, would indeed deliver to pick up the win. This allows trainer Bigchief Stables and jockey F Geroux to become the first ones to put their names on the list of winners of the stake. Congratulations to them! The inaugural winning time will go down as 1:15.59. Let’s take a look at it!

(¼ Mile- :22.87)- The opening quarter mile sees The Martian and Dark Fury, running for Mo Mentum Farm and Waldo respectively, take the early lead and run side by side over the early backstretch. Behind them, the four stalkers were initially lined up, but eventually, our ultimate winner, No More Rattle, shows a little more interest in getting closer to the two leaders. The Bigchief Stables entry, running in the middle lane, pushes forward just a bit, and is a length back at this point. The others that were in that four wide group are still lined up. From inside to outside, they are Arrangement (Fractious), Tacitus (D J C Racing Stables), and Orange Chicken (Arindel). It’s one more length to China (Aer Stables), and another to Gnome Guitar (Woogaloo).

(½ MIle- :45.76, Top Of Stretch, 2F To Go)- Completing the run down the backstretch and moving into the turn, we do not see No More Rattle getting any closer to the two leaders. He is content to remain in the third lane, being a length behind the pacesetters. As for those two, The Martian begins to emerge as being a little quicker than Dark Fury, especially within the turn. Reaching the top of the stretch, the Martian was almost a full length ahead of Dark Fury, putting Dark Fury and No More Rattle closer, too. Orange Chicken is sticking around, doing his part to stay close to No More Rattle running just to his inside, and Arrangement continues to ride the rail. Behind him, Gnome Guitar was doing the same but eventually one of them would need to come off of it. Tacitus had plenty of room to make his own run while China still trailed the field.

(Finish- 1:15.59)- The Martian tries to hold on to his lead in the stretch, but in the final furlong and a half, the gains of No More Rattle were becoming a lot more apparent. However, that did not seem to be the only one that No More Rattle had to worry about as Orange Chicken was hanging tough, and Arrangement was looking sharp as he completed the pass of Dark Fury. Gnome Guitar, perhaps stubbornly, continued to stay on the rail. In the late moments, No More Rattle showed plenty of heart, and it would pay off as he scores the win by about a half length over The Martian, who also ran well to the end. Arrangement takes third, barely, over Gnome Guitar, who probably waited too long to try and attempt that pass. Orange Chicken ends up without a check in fifth, topping Dark Fury, Tacitus, and China.

About The Winner- No More Rattle, trained by Bigchief Stables and ridden to victory by F Geroux, is a two year old gelding by Timber Rattler and is out of Weep No More. He was bred by T Boy Racing as a first quarter two year old in West Virginia and acquired by Bigchief Stables via a $12.500 claim in May 2021. The win is his second in four starts, and first stake win. His career earnings are now $195.660.

Track: Fast
Time: :22⁴  :45³  1:09²  1:15²

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 8 – 7 Paid 24.70
$1 Trifecta: 8 – 7 – 1 Paid 209.80

Scratched: None

— NS

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded