The Shoemaker Mile (Grade 1)- $300.000 Purse
SA- For Three Year Olds and Upward
One Mile on the Turf
May 27, 2024

When we get to talking about the BC this fall, you can guarantee that there will be mentions of the Shoemaker Mile, a race that always boasts a great field and this year will be no exception. It doesn’t matter that the gate will not be full to capacity, as some of the top horses in this division have made their way to SA as a part of the field of seven. This race has been held every year since 2005 and has been at SA since 2014. There is some bad news to report on this race, and that is the purse reduction from $500.000 but that cannot be blamed on the race only drawing seven, since that was the same number of horses that ran last year. Of those horses, it would be Jakarta that came out on top, with an impressive two length win for Nakamura Stables. He would go on to run sixth in the BC Mile, and although he is certainly capable of running here again, the race is not in the trainer’s plans for him. Here is a look at those looking to be the race’s next winner:

1- Once Upon (Onlineracingclub.com, ridden by A A Gallardo)- Before we get to the big names, we start off with this gelding that is making his graded debut. Once Upon has been a part of many big barns over his career, being passed around in claimers often, but Onelineracingclub.com is thinking bigger. And why not? After victories in his last two, including the $150.000 Dangers Hour at AQU last month, Once Upon is hot and looking for more.

2- Electric Blue (Spankys Barn, ridden by L Dettori)- Had plenty of success running in overnights for former trainer, Choppy Inc., but was sold by that trainer to Spankys Barn at the end of last year. Right away, Spankys Barn moved him forward in class, and was rewarded with an impressive victory in the Grade 3 Thunder Road right here, earning a 103 SRF. That came in February, and he would not be seen again until last month, where he finished in the most dreaded spot known to HRP trainers: fifth by less than a length. I don’t think we’ve seen the best out of him while in the silks of Spankys Barn.

3- Jacks Courage (Mb Stables, ridden by M Franco)- It was an excellent three year old season for Jacks Courage, running third in the KYD and later winning the Travers. Later on, he finished fourth in the BC Classic, en route to making over $2,400.000 on the year. While most trainers would probably keep him on the main track after that, Mb Stables opted to move the Valiant gelding to the grass, where he has been since the Classic. He’s hit the board in all four of them, and it has not mattered if it was raining or not. He was the winner (one of them, anyway) last month in the Makers Mark Mile, and figures to be a strong option here.

4- Love Of The Derby (Mb Stables, ridden by Mario Gutierrez)- Certainly, this is an excellent second option to have for the race. Unlike his stablemate, Love Of The Derby has exclusively been a turf horse after his debut, and went on to win six races as a three-year-old. Two of them were graded, highlighted by the Grade 2 National Museum of Racing at SAR in August. This led to running third in the BC Mile. Recently, the trainer has kept him in California, getting in several races here plus a win at GG in the SF Mile, where he beat last year’s Shoemaker winner, Jakarta, in a photo at the wire.

5- King Luka (Night Rider Stables, ridden by E J Zayas)- Ran against Jacks Courage last month at the Makers Mark Mile, and they hit the wire together. A winner could not be declared, so it ended up as a dead heat. While it was a great result for King Luka, at this present time, his current accolades are not as impressive as Jacks Courage but that does not mean that they cannot get there. He’s won just three times over his 21 career starts but tends to represent himself well every time he is out there. I’m going to need to see him beat (or run even with) Jacks Courage again, as well as one we haven’t gotten to yet, before I can start picking him in a race like this, but I do feel he is plenty capable of getting that win.

6- Sioux Arrival (High Voltage, ridden by P Lopez)- Another horse that is coming here from the Makers Mark Mile, but Sioux Arrival was not at his best there. Don’t discount him too quickly off of that, as it was his first time ever running on an off track and he did win the Canadian Turf two back over King Luka. Overall, after winning the DMR Derby last September, he has become a little inconsistent in placement, but very consistent in his speed figures. Honestly, I’m finding it tough to get a read on him, so will have to watch him here while looking elsewhere. A 98 SRF isn’t winning this race.

7- Last Way To The Beac (Maxmillion Farm, ridden by S X Bridgmohan)- This horse has probably reached that point where all you have to do is say his name, and everyone knows he is one of the best in the game. Over his career, I have written up many great races for Last Way To The Beac, and the horse is still at top form. The only real blemish on his career to this point is that when it comes to the BC, he has not stepped up. If he continues running as he is right now, he will get his fourth chance at that, and I expect that to happen. Two months ago, he won the Grade 3 Appleton at GP, and has won three of his last six. Consistently turns out triple digit SRF’s.

Prediction: 7-3-4-2

— NS

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES