Stratford Hill pulls mild upset in Shakertown

Stratford Hill, a son of  A. P. Indy out of Grade 1 Ballerina winner Harmony Lodge, is bred to excel on dirt. It just so happens that turf racing has proven his calling.

In the Grade 3, $100,000 Shakertown Stakes at Keeneland on Saturday’s Bluegrass Stakes undercard, Stratford Hill won his fourth consecutive turf sprint in as many starts, defeating such standout turf horses as Grand Adventure, Silver Timber, and Breeders’ Cup Turf sprint winner Chamberlain Bridge.

Despite not having raced in a stakes race or over a yielding turf course – the conditions he caught in the Shakertown – Stratford Hill’s  inexperience never showed. He grabbed a contending position early, settling on the outside in third early, as Great Attack and Chamberlain Bridge dueled for the lead with an opening quarter-mile in 22.52 seconds in the five-furlong Shakertown.