LAUREL, Md. – J R Sanchez Racing Stable’s claimer-turned-multiple stakes winner Shake Em Loose is likely to make his next start on the Preakness Day program May 21 at historic Pimlico Race Course, but owner-trainer Rudy Sanchez-Salomon is still sorting out which race to target.
Sanchez-Salomon said Shake Em Loose remains under consideration for the 147th Preakness Stakes (G1), Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown, following his third-place finish in the April 16 Federico Tesio at Laurel Park.
Since being claimed for $16,000 out of a maiden triumph last fall, Shake Em Loose has won three of five starts including two stakes – the 2021 Heft and March 19 Private Terms, after which Sanchez-Salomon made him a late nominee to the Triple Crown.
“I’m not sure if I’m going to run him in the Preakness or on Preakness Day. It depends on how many horses go in the Preakness and who’s coming,” Sanchez-Salomon said. “He’s doing great. He went to the farm for a week, and he’s very happy out there. I wanted to give him a week off to refresh his mind and everything. He’s doing the aqua tread every day and gets turned out in the paddock for a few hours. He’s enjoying himself.”
Also in the conversation for Shake Em Loose is the $100,000 James W. Murphy for 3-year-olds going a mile on the grass. He has raced once on the turf, a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight last October at Laurel for his previous connections, when he got pinched back and bumped leaving the gate and was carried out into the first turn and was never a factor, finishing 11th.
Sanchez-Salomon said he was encouraged to think about the grass after the effort of another horse he owns and trains, 6-year-old mare Foggy Dreams, in the April 23 Dahlia going a mile on Laurel’s world-class turf course, where she wound up seventh following a troubled trip, beaten 7 ¼ lengths. Both horses share Shakin It Up as a sire.
“She loves the grass. She could have won the stakes race but she got boxed in and got in big trouble,” Sanchez-Salomon said. “I think [Shake Em Loose] will love it. I’m just going to go with the flow, day by day. I took him to the farm last Friday and he’s coming back this Friday. I’m going to breeze him on the grass and go from there.”
Sanchez-Salomon wheels Mi Patria Racing’s Click to Confirm back Friday at Laurel in a second-level optional claiming allowance for 3-year-old fillies going 1 1/16 miles. The bay daughter of Tonalist has run third three times in stakes including her most recent start in the April 16 Weber City Miss. It is the same 13-day spacing he used to win a restricted allowance April 1 at Laurel after she ran third in the Beyond the Wire.
Maryland-bred Click to Confirm is the 3-1 third choice on the morning line in a field of seven behind 2-1 favorite She Is Wisky, runner-up at odds of 52-1 in the Feb. 19 Wide Country, and 5-2 second choice Bazinga C, a winner of her last two starts including a March 25 optional claimer sprinting seven furlongs at Laurel.
“She looks good in that spot. We’ll see what happens,” he said. “I thought she ran good last time. Her shoe was sticking out. I don’t know when that happened, but it was sticking like an inch out from the heel.”
Maryland Jockey Club Press Release
Photo: Shake Em Loose winning the 2021 Heft and earning Black Type. (Maryland Jockey Club)
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