Shackleford

[serenassong]

He looks like he's so happy, love his tongue- and the blue nose

[second_glance]

@DRFOakford: 2011 Shackleford wnr to stand at Darby Dan in Lexington, KY, after 2012 racing season. Pointing for 4/7 Carter H.

[second_glance]

@DRFWelsch: Shackleford works 1/2 :47.22 out 5/8 in :59.90 for Carter very sharp did not get hot best he's looked since the Donn

[second_glance]

Nice piece by my pal John Scheinman on The Shack:

http://nyra.com/aqueduct/stories/Apr052012.shtml

[Blue Jeans]

He should be very popular with the girls next year ... and making some very pretty and talented babies. Cheers to Shackleford.

>Shackleford’s speed, tenacity and iron-horse ability to withstand a rigorous campaign make him enormously attractive as a stallion prospect.

“He’s just a beautifully made horse,” said Robert Hammond, general manager at Darby Dan. “Dale Romans says he’s tough as nails. He ran the hardest campaign of every 3-year-old last year. He took on every horse and his racetrack earnings showed it.”
Shackleford has earned $1,985,803 with three wins and four seconds from 13 starts.

“The Met Mile would be the perfect race for him,” Hammond said, “and obviously he ran very well in the Breeders’ Cup Mile, but as far as a stallion, I think he’s already made himself.”

Hammond pointed out that Shackleford will be the first Classic winner to stand stud at Darby Dan since Roberto.<

[PJMIII]

Shackleford worked 4f MT my in :48.00 B (1/22) at CD, 04/21/12.

[RSA]

He needs a win.

[honneerider]

He needs a win.

PLEASE, YES!

[Epiphany]

He needs a win.

Then send him to Baffert.

[Starine]

Still winless since the Preakness. He needs some sort of change.

[Mom4Gloria]

I think, like First Dude, he needs a bit of a change. A change in trainer, maybe a change in tactics, and definitely throw him in an allowance to get that confidence back up! Stop sending him in those G1's...he's in over his head right now and has no confidence!

[dustino140]

Everyone knows my thoughts of Shackleford (a professional loser, I believe I've dubbed him), but he's also a very good loser.

I don't necessarily know if a new barn is in order, and even though I'm not a huge Dale Romans fan, I can't honestly look at this horse and think he hasn't done anything but overachieve with him. The fact that they're still employing a jockey that is a significant cut below the best riders in the nation doesn't help, but I don't look at the combination and think that he'd be reeling off wins over Caleb's Posse, Jackson Bend, Hymn Book, etc. if Dominguez or Velazquez were in the irons instead of Castanon.

Ultimately, I think Shackleford is a Grade 2 talent with a Grade 1 bankroll, but I do think that he could be campaigned differently. He'll obviously go in the Met if he's healthy, and where after that should be interesting. Maybe try to hit an allowance in mid-June? But keeping in mind that any allowance they go in could come up pretty salty, so essentially you're passing at a Grade 1 opportunity (or an opportunity for a break) to try to build your confidence in a race that will be the furthest thing you can find from a slam dunk.

My thoughts...replace Castanon for the hell of it, keep him in Romans barn, run in the Met and give him a break before Saratoga, and then make the decision whether to target those 9f bloodbaths (Whitney, Woodward) or something shorter/easier.

[honneerider]

Well said. I love shack and the above makes a lot of sense. Baffert would be a hit with me!

[blamethewinner]

Dale Romans is an excellent trainer. One feat he pulled off in 2011, in addition to winning a Breeders' Cup race with an improbable longshot, was win an undercard race on each of the Triple Crown days with 3 different horses. Two of those races were Grade Is (Sassy Image, Humana Distaff and CS Silk, Just A Game) and the other was Paddy O'Prado in the Dixie.

Shackleford has yet to find his niche. He is a good miler, but that division is actually as deep as it has been in years with Caleb's Posse, Jackson Bend, To Honor and Serve and more. Perhaps turning Shackleford into a turf router where he tries to bottom fields out is a useful idea.

[PJMIII]

Shackleford worked 4f MT ft in :47.80 B (3/47) at CD, 04/28/12.

[RSA]

I would love to see Jorge Chavez take the mount.

[Epiphany]

John Velasquez is riding him in Met Mile because Jesus Catanon is injured.

[PJMIII]

Shackleford worked 5f MT ft in :59.20 B (1/23) at CD, 05/21/12.

[dustino140]

I would love to see Jorge Chavez take the mount.

Seriously? You'd shun all decent riders for a has-been that hasn't had a mount since December? I'm dying to know why.

The best thing for Shackleford's career may well be Castanon's injury. It's already paid huge dividends luring Velazquez.

[Man o' Taz]

Dale Romans is an excellent trainer. One feat he pulled off in 2011, in addition to winning a Breeders' Cup race with an improbable longshot, was win an undercard race on each of the Triple Crown days with 3 different horses. Two of those races were Grade Is (Sassy Image, Humana Distaff and CS Silk, Just A Game) and the other was Paddy O'Prado in the Dixie.

Shackleford has yet to find his niche. He is a good miler, but that division is actually as deep as it has been in years with Caleb's Posse, Jackson Bend, To Honor and Serve and more. Perhaps turning Shackleford into a turf router where he tries to bottom fields out is a useful idea.

Well, he did just upset the BC Sprint winner Amazombie on the same track that Amazombie won the race...so maybe sprinting at 7 furlongs is a better choice for him. I actually do not see any need to build up the horse's confidence coming off a win. Can he win going shorter? I do not know -- I do not think he has ever raced at a shorter distance than 7 furlongs.