Sharedshenanigans wins her debut June 22 at Laurel Park (Jim McCue/Maryland Jockey Club)
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Chris Lomon/Woodbine Communications
TORONTO— Saturday’s $175,000 bet365 Algonquin, which covers five furlongs on Woodbine’s inner turf, has attracted eight 2-year-olds, including Graham Motion pupil Sharedashenanigans.
A $500,000 (U.S.) purchase at the 2023 Keeneland Association September Yearling Sale, Sharedashenanigans debuted on June 22 at five panels over the main track at Laurel Park and posted a 1 ¼-length score as the 3-5 choice.
“We thought she would run well,” said Motion, who has 2,765 career wins as of October 1. “She is not a big filly, but she is a pretty forward type, a precocious 2-year-old type, so we would have been disappointed had she not run well, even though we were running on her the dirt when we felt she was probably going to be more of a grass filly.”
A daughter of Into Mischief, Sharedashenanigans, owned by Flying Dutchman, arrives at her latest test – and first appearance at Woodbine – off a sixth in the Rosie’s Stakes, over 5 ½ furlongs on the Colonial Downs outer turf, on Sep. 7.
“There were very limited opportunities to run a 2-year-old filly five-eighths again,” noted Motion. “We ended up going to Colonial, which I thought was a very tough spot.
“This race won’t be easy, but at least she’s now had better preparation – it was so long between races last time.”
Sharedashenanigans is the first foal out of Maryland-bred Grade 1-winning star Sharing.
Sharing recorded more than $1 million in purse earnings, winning five of nine starts for Motion, including the 2019 Selima at Laurel and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) at Santa Anita. In 2020, Sharing triumphed in the Edgewood (G2) and Tepin at Churchill Downs and was runner-up in the Coronation (G1) at Royal Ascot.
“The whole family has been amazing for us, so it is no doubt a special family for us,” said Motion.
Bred in Kentucky by Gainesway Thoroughbreds LTD., Sharedashenanigans has had a series of works over the all-weather training surface at Fair Hill (Maryland) ahead of Saturday’s race, including a four-furlong breeze in :50.80 on Sep. 28.
“We just went very easy with her. She tends to overdo it if we are not careful, so we try to go steady with her.”
Motion likes what he sees ahead of the Algonquin.
“We have always liked her. The whole family, they are all very professional, very workmanlike, they all get on with their business.”
Emma-Jayne Wilson will be in the irons on Saturday.
Owned by Pier 1 Stables, Unbridled Weather finished second, at 42-1, in his debut, a 6 ½-furlong sprint on the E.P. Taylor on Aug. 24.
One race later, the Angus Buntain trainee battled gamely to the wire in the seven-furlong Bull Page Stakes, also on the E.P. Taylor, on Sep. 15.
“I suppose he is fairly modestly bred, but he has surprised me from day one,” said Buntain. “I never expected him to run as well as he did in his maiden race, and he ran much better than I thought he would in the Bull Page. He has outrun expectations and been a very pleasant surprise.”
Buntain was also caught off guard the day after Unbridled Weather was purchased for the modest sum of $9,000 (CDN) at the 2023 CTHS Ontario Premier Yearling Sale.
“Here is the interesting part – I never even looked at the horse with the owner at the sale. The owner literally bought him on his own. It was a complete surprise to me. He called me the next day and said, ‘By the way, Angus, I purchased Hip No. 167.’
“I had never looked at him or saw him prior to him being purchased. You have to give credit to the owner for buying him.”
Both are hoping for Unbridled Weather to go one better on Saturday.
“The very best part of his two races was the heart that he showed. When he got passed in both races, he dug in and tried, rather than just packing it in like a lot of young horses do in those situations. His best attribute, to me, is his heart. He wants to do it, he wants to be a racehorse, he wants to compete – you can’t train that into them. They either have it, or they don’t, and he seems to have it. I am very happy to have him in the barn.”
He breezed over the Woodbine main track on Sep. 28, covering five furlongs in 1:01.80.
“This guy has grown physically and mentally, which you can see in the mornings and afternoons. He’s very mature, mentally. He’s very calm and manageable. A five-year-old could groom and handle him – he is that kind and gentle in the barn.
“Physically, from when he came in around March, he has grown a significant amount. He has blossomed into a robust horse. It was a nice transformation to see.”
The groom is Anthony Cirillo.
First post for Saturday’s live card is 1:10 p.m. Fans can wager on all the action through HPIbet.com or bet365.
Field for the bet365 Algonquin Stakes (Race 5)
Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer
1 – Sharedashenanigans – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Graham Motion
2 – Bullet – Patrick Husbands – Mark Casse
3 – Pop Rox (S) – Jose Campos – Steven Chircop
4 – Mensa – Rafael Hernandez – Mark Casse
5 – Mi Bago – Sahin Civaci – Mark Casse
6 – Dare to Breeze – Patrick Husbands – Mark Casse
7 – Unbridled Weather – Fraser Aebly – Angus Buntain
8 – French Horn (S) – Sofia Vives – Mark Casse
