Talco gets perfect trip to take Grade I Shoemaker Mile
In a race named for one of the greatest jockeys in the history of Southern California racing, it was Santa Anita’s current leading rider who worked out the best trip and hit the wire first in Saturday afternoon’s Grade I Shoemaker Mile. Talco, for John Sadler and Hronis Racing, benefited from a perfect voyage under Rafael Bejarano and defeated Midnight Storm by a half-length to capture the lion's share of the $400,000 purse. Juddmonte Farms’ owned Seek Again finished third.
The fifth race on Saturday’s 9-race card was an international affair with runners from Argentina, France, Brazil and two from the States. In the end, it was the European import that was best. It was Talco’s third win in seven career starts at Santa Anita Park. He has been incredibly consistent with three wins and two runner up finishes thus far during his 2015 campaign. The four-year-old son of Pivotal was able to settle off the pace inside, inch forward leaving the second turn and into the stretch, and gain the advantage a sixteenth out to prevail in a game effort. When asked the key to victory today, Bejarano stated, “It was being able to stay inside around the far turn and really kicking well.”
Phil D’Amato conditioned Midnight Storm, went off the even money favorite. He bobbled slightly at the start, but settled in off the pacesetter before taking the lead into the stretch. He fought on gamely, but came up a bit short. The son of Pioneerof the Nile wired out an optional claiming group in April, but was forced to sit second after the slightly awkward beginning and due to the presence of long shot Winning Prize who was committed to the early lead. In his post race comments, jockey of Midnight Storm Tyler Baze declared, “He didn’t handle that grass at all, he couldn’t really get a hold of it.” The presence of Martin Garcia, the addition of blinkers, and the rail draw forced the hand of the South American bred Winning Prize. He tired late to finish fourth.
Most puzzling was the effort of Brazilian bred Bal a Bali. The Mandella trained five-year old looked immaculate before the race and sat a perfect trip under jockey Flavien Prat, but was totally empty when they turned for home. He finished last in the compact field of five. After the race, jockey Prat said, “I had a good trip… I was pretty good on the last turn and I asked him and he didn’t answer…We beat the winner the last time so I don’t know; he was not good today.”
The Shoemaker Mile, originally called the Premiere Handicap, but renamed in 1990 was run at Hollywood Park until its inaugural Santa Anita rendition last year. Obviously won the event the past two years before Talco took the Grade I victory today. The race has been run on all sorts of surfaces and at variuos distances during its past, but has been run at a mile over the grass since 1988. The winner completed the mile in 1:35:00. He paid $28.40, $6.00, and $5.20. Midnight Storm paid $3.00 and $3.40. Seek Again returned $5.40 to show. The $1 Trifecta of 2-3-4 paid $136.60.