Joe Shiesty (inside). (Lillian Paulson/Coady Media)
Darren Rogers/Churchill Downs
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – In his 4-year-old debut, Joe Shiesty shot to the front out of the gate and had enough left to withstand a late surge from favored Arrest Me Red to win Saturday’s ninth running of the $224,670 Mighty Beau Stakes (Listed) at Churchill Downs by a neck.
Joe Shiesty, trained by Eric Foster, ran five furlongs on “firm” turf in a stakes record :55.87 under Luan Machado to collect his second career stakes win for owners Brooklyn Foster’s Foster Family Racing, Lonnie Reynolds, Vicki Mills and Donald Coomes. He eclipsed Forgive’s 2017 mark of :56.31.
“He broke so well and took me right to the lead,” Machado said. “I remember the first time I rode him Eric told me he’s the ‘fastest horse in North America.’ He was right. We went 20 seconds for a quarter-mile at Keeneland. He showed that speed today early without me even asking him. He’s a very talented horse and can run well on any surface.”
Joe Shiesty, who zipped early fractions of :21.56 and :43.98 while breaking from post No. 5, earned $135,245 for the win and improved his career record to 5-2-1 in 13 starts with earnings of $553,056.
Sent to post as the 3-1 second betting choice in the field of eight older horses, Joe Shiesty paid $8.54, $4.34 and $3.38. Arrest Me Red, the 2-1 favorite who closed for second under Luan Machado, returned $3.80 and $2.86. Run Carson, at odds of 7-2, was another 2 ¼ lengths back in third under Adam Beschizzaand paid $3.26 to show.
Epic Ride, Champlin, Charcoal, Balsa and All Jokes Aside completed the order of finish. Donchoand Lunar Module were scratched.
At age 3, Joe Shiesty won the $300,000 William Walker at Churchill Downs. Saturday was Joe Shiesty’s first race in 195 days since finishing second in an allowance at Churchill Downs during the Fall Meet.
“We just wanted to do whatever was right for Joe Shiesty,” Foster said. “We took our time after he had surgery at the end of the Fall Meet here at Churchill. When he breaks well, he’s going to make it hard on everyone else. It’s a joy to have some good horses to go along in your barn. It’s nice to have some horses you can count on like Joe Shiesty. I knew if he broke good today he was going to be extremely tough. The five-eighths distance fit him perfectly coming off a break. Regardless of how far they were going, he was going to break well and go hard out front. I think he was just getting a little tired at the end and we’ll look for him to be even stronger next time.”
A gelded son of Air Force Blue out of the More Than Ready mare Ready to Unleash, Joe Shiesty was bred in Kentucky by Rodney E. Orr.
The Mighty Beau is named in honor of graded stakes winner Mighty Beau, who boasted a record of 75-12-19-10—$646,000 from 2001-08. The Oklahoma-bred gelded son of Rainbow Prospect made a record five starts in the Twin Spires Turf Sprint (then known as the Aegon Turf Sprint) from 2002-06, winning the race in 2005 at age 6 for owners Mike Cloonan and Anthony Carolan, trainer Jeff Mullins and jockey Pat Valenzuela.
Racing at Churchill Downs continues Sunday with a nine-race program that begins at 12:45 p.m. (all times Eastern). There are two stakes events: the $175,000 Leslie’s Lady Overnight Stakes (Race 5 at 2:45 p.m.) and Grade III, $400,000 Matt Winn (Race 8 at 4:22 p.m.). Sunday doubles as Family Adventure Day, featuring more than 15 kid-friendly activities for children under 12. Gates open at 11:30 a.m.
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.churchilldowns.com.
Mighty Beau Quotes
Luan Machado (jockey, Joe Shiesty, winner): “He broke so well and took me right to the lead. I remember the first time I rode him (trainer) Eric (Foster) told me he’s the ‘fastest horse in North America.’ He was right. We went 20 seconds for a quarter-mile at Keeneland. He showed that speed today early without me even asking him. He’s a very talented horse and can run well on any surface.”
Eric Foster (trainer, Joe Shiesty, winner): “We just wanted to do whatever was right for Joe Shiesty. We took our time after he had surgery at the end of the Fall Meet here at Churchill. When he breaks well, he’s going to make it hard on everyone else. It’s a joy to have some good horses to go along in your barn. It’s nice to have some horses you can count on like Joe Shiesty. I knew if he broke good today, he was going to be extremely tough. The five-eighths distance fit him perfectly coming off a break. Regardless of how far they were going, he was going to break well and go hard out front. I think he was just getting a little tired at the end and we’ll look for him to be even stronger next time.”
