San Pasqual Stakes (Grade 2)- $200.000 Purse
SA- For Four Year Olds and Upward
One Mile and One Eighth on the Dirt
February 1, 2020

Following the excitement of Orion Nebula’s Lewis Stakes win, we got to enjoy the reigning KYD champion Beach Dandy going to post. However, that may be the most we can continue to say about him. In the San Pasqual, it would be a 104/1 longshot named Shanghai stealing the show. With a layoff of over three and a half months, and his last positive race happening in August, people would be forgiven for not placing a bet down on him. However, trainer Nakamura Stables’ decision to give him rest in hopes that it could kickstart his career proved to be the right decision in what was actually their first race together. Nakamura has had a lot of success in this race, having also won it in 2015 with the late Duca Di Toscana and in 2018 with the 2017 KYD winner, Shootfromthehip. Jockey A Cedillo is a first time winner of the race. It went in a time of 1:47.48, the quickest of the three editions run at this distance. Let’s take a look!

(½ Mile- :47.07)- Right from the starting gate, the other Nakamura Stables entry, Vegas Host, the one we picked to win the race, goes right to the lead. Meanwhile, he has some company, as a horse wearing the saddlecloth he should always have to wear, Shari Stables’ Brady Is A Lady, breaks well from the outside joins him at the front. Pretty much just as they hit a half mile, Brady Is A Lady pokes a head in front. They open up a lead of almost three lengths initially, but during the backstretch, the eventual winner, Shanghai, cuts into that lead by a length, and is running by himself in doing so. It’s a length to Duke Or Earl (Gdp Inc), and another to Combat Wombat (Maxmillion Farm) and Champion In Action (Night Rider Stables). Next come Beach Dandy (John Henry) and Zee Unit (Rampage Stable) running together. Trailing are Malibu Moon (D J C Racing Stables) and Sniper (Jediminds Stable).

(3/4 Mile- 1:10.50)- At the front, Brady Is A Lady is still heading towards the end zone with everyone behind him as Vegas Host starts to show signs of not being able to maintain that pace. Nakamura Stables was not that worried about Vegas Host, though, as Shanghai was look pretty good. He seemed initially indecisive about what lane to choose going into the turn, but the picture started to clear as his stablemate began backing out. Behind him, there’s not much new to report, so let’s move on.

(Top Of Stretch, 1.5F To Go)- Brady Is A Lady is still looking very good at the front end, so if any one wanted to catch him they needed to get moving now. Shanghai got that message, and gained some ground within the turn, and had just a length and a half to make up while in the stretch. Vegas Host wasn’t dropping like a rock, but he was a clearly going to be a non factor at this point. Meanwhile, along the outside, both Duke Or Earl and Combat Wombat had been matching strides while running together, and they each had a clear lane in the stretch, so if one of them had a bigger run coming, surely they would be a contender. Champion In Action was in the mix, too, half a length behind them in the second lane. The others were looking beaten now.

(Finish- 1:47.48)- In the stretch, Shanghai just kept digging in, running like a horse that hadn’t run since like, week 7 of the NFL season, and having plenty of rest. He needed all of it, because Brady Is A Lady made him work for it. In the end, Shanghai looked very impressive, so is this going to represent a return to form from a horse that finished second in the Woodward? Time will tell. Brady Is A Lady takes second over a three way photo for show. In that photo, Champion In Action prevails over Combat Wombat and Duke Or Earl. Vegas Host tired to sixth Malibu Moon advanced to seventh. The once great Beach Dandy was eighth, and a disappointing non-factor from gate to wire. Zee Unit and Sniper round it out.

About The Winner- Shanghai, trained by Nakamura Stables, and ridden to victory by A Cedillo, is a four year old gelding by Rene, and is out of El Gran Lexington. He was bred in New York by D J C Racing Stables as a third quarter two year old, and acquired by Nakamura Stables via a $150.000 private sale. He was gelded upon arrival with his new trainer. Congratulations to the connections! The win is fourth in 12 starts, and his first graded win. His career earnings are now $407.400.

Track: Fast
Time: :47   1:10²  1:34⁴  1:47²

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 4 – 12 Paid 583.10
$1 Trifecta: 4 – 12 – 6 Paid 1,140.80

Scratched: Admiration, War Command(L)

— NS

Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES