Night Rider Stables‘ four year old Shanghai Days would have just enough left in the tank to put away Italian Syndicate ( D J C Racing Stables ) and a charging Kremlin ( Maxmillion Farm ) by three quarters of a length at the wire.

• Runhappy Stakes – Purse $150.000
• Belmont Park- For Four year olds and Upward
• Six Furlongs Main track
• May 11th, 2019

While D J C Racing Stables was hoping that one of his two entries would give them the repeat of a Runhappy victory, that dream would be “Shanghaied by the Night Rider Stables entry. Shanghai Days was content to sit in a stalking position throughout the affair, and while in previous events he was unable to make the final stages work to his benefit, today was a perfect example on how to get into the winners enclosure. The victory is now the fourth of his career, bringing his career earnings to slightly over $248.000. His stakes record sits at 7 ( 2-2-1-2 ), all starting with the minor Western Heritage win back in 2017. Has not missed a top three in his starts this season, and this event brought home a 100 SRF number, best of his career.

While the winner was enjoying his celebrations, runner-up Kremlin was showing that he still has what it takes as a six year old to be competitive. After failing to gain success in two Graded company events over a year ago, this effort should point him in a new direction at the non graded level.

Disappointed that he didn’t see the repeat, D J C Racing Stables Italian Syndicate was in complete command of this race until the final sixteenth, till the eventual winner would pass to his inside. He would be out in front by some three lengths at one point in the turn, but would be unable to maintain that down the lane. He would settle for the show purse in a photo tie with post time favorite Mb Stables Swanbrook at the wire, who stayed competitive throughout the race.

Rounding out the event would be RNP Stables Moving Cloud who like Italian Syndicate and Swanbrook, would find himself breaking the wire in a dead heat with D J C Racing Stables other entry of Psychotic Ruler. The final finisher would be Wolfs Den Rebel Force, just three lengths shy.

All in all, from first to last, there was only a difference of three quarters of a second in time, so it was a very close affair. Running times for the event were 22.97, 45.68, 57.27, and 1:09.06.

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded