Head-to-head: Handicapping the 2021 Sham Stakes

ASHLEY

LAURIE

1. MEDINA SPIRIT

Hailing from the barn of Bob Baffert, Medina Spirit won on debut while sprinting and sporting blinkers. Those come off for his 2021 debut, though jockey Abel Cedillo retains the mount. In a field full of front runners, Medina Spirit had the misfortune to draw the rail and will need to be hustled out of the gate or risk getting boxed in.

Medina Spirit is only one of three winners by 2021 second-crop sire Protonico, a Grade 2-winning son of Giant’s Causeway. Considered the "other" Baffert horse,  Medina Spirit won at first asking over a suspect group of maidens sprinting at Los Alamitos on Dec. 11. The colt’s pre-race breeze for the Sham was a slow five-furlong maintenance work in company with Editor in Chief, a large, gray son of Curlin who placed in his debut. In the breeze, Medina Spirit settled on the outside behind Editor in Chief, then breezed by under his own power without being asked. There is little class in Medina Spirit’s distaff line, but he is bred for nine furlongs and should love the extra distance. The $100,000 question: Does he have the class to take on this group?  

2. WASPIRANT

By a Belmont Stakes winner and out of a mare that won the Breeders’ Cup Distaff and placed third in the Hollywood Gold Cup, Waspirant is bred for the classics. So far the colt has presented a lose-win-lose race pattern, and if you believe in that type thing, then Waspirant is your winner. However, this colt has the worst speed figures in the field. I cannot bet to win here, but I could see him in the superfecta, which is not saying much in a five horse field. Look for this one to be a later developer.

The son of Union Rags out of Breeders’ Cup Distaff heroine Life is Sweet had his tail handed to him in the American Pharoah (G1), finishing a fading ten lengths behind Get Her Number. Waspirant was wide the entire way but within striking distance. He ran out of oats in the stretch. Was it the dreaded maiden bounce, or is he a well-bred flop? Only one of Waspirant’s five royally-bred half-siblings won more than once, and none own blacktype. The John Shirreffs trainee was bested by open lengths in his pre-race breeze with Parnelli. The blinkers come off, and Shirreffs is 9 percent with that angle. 

3. PARNELLI

Parnelli cured his case of second-itis in his fourth start, cavorting home a convincing 5¾-lengths after losing the duel for the lead in his first three starts. His last three starts were all at the Sham distance of one mile, so that should be no issue for the son of Quality Road. Confidence and Drayton Van Dyke are on his side.

After three bridesmaid placings against the likes of eventual Breeders’ Cup Juvenile runner-up Hot Rod Charlie and Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) hero Spielberg,  Parnelli finally found the winner’s circle against a softer group, beating Editor in Chief by 5 3/4-lengths. The John Shirreffs trainee runs upright and paddles with his left fore. He was rank in the early going but settled once in the clear on the outside. A son of Quality Road, Parnelli is the most experienced in the field and has three starts at a mile under his girth.

4. UNCLE BOOGIE

Like Parnelli, Uncle Boogie has a case of second-itis. This son of Ride On Curlin won on debut but finished second in his next two starts, including a distant second in the Bob Hope (G3). Though certainly not a morning glory, his works have been solid, and Flavien Prat stays aboard for this colt’s second crack at a graded stakes.

Uncle Boogie returns to the scene of his runaway debut victory after two late-running second-place finishes at Del Mar. In two of his last three starts, Ride On Curlin's quirky son was a tick slow out of the gate but had enough speed to stay in contention. In the Bob Hope Stakes (G3), the blinkered Uncle Boogie was slow out of the gate and unsettled, running with his head turned sideways and trying to bolt outward. At one point, he was almost 10 lengths off the lead but did the boot scootin’ boogie down the stretch to pass tired horses to gain second place. The talent is there, but the Andrew Lerner trainee has some growing up to do. 

5. LIFE IS GOOD

This son of Into Mischief owns the only triple-digit speed figure in the field, going coast-to-coast in his debut. The winning margin was nearly 10 lengths. Baffert has been giving this colt a series of six-furlong works leading up to this. Big Money Mike stays aboard.

In his debut, Life is Good zipped through fractions of 21.80, 44.84, 1:09, and galloped home in a hand ride in 1:15.50 for 6 1/2-furlongs, looking like a pro. I found his pre-race breeze peculiar. Supposedly, he worked solo yet quickly made up ground on an unidentified horse that was wearing a plain green saddle cloth. Life is Good stayed with the other horse partway, then backed off, wanting nothing to do with him (or her) through the stretch. Life is Good was pushed through the wire but failed to catch the other horse, who was never asked or extended. Hmmm. This son of Into Mischief fits the profile of previous Sham Stakes winners. Speedy, expensive youngster who posted a runaway run at first asking? Check. Trained by Baffert? Check. Authentic 2.0? We’ll see.