Shivaree a Popular Winner in Saturday’s Limehouse
HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Jacks or Better Farm’s Shivaree lived up to his 3-5 favoritism in Saturday’s $75,000 Limehouse at Gulfstream Park, closing into a hotly contested early pace to draw off to victory by 3 ¼ lengths.
The six-furlong Limehouse kicked off Saturday’s Sophomore Showcase card with five stakes for 3-year-olds, including the $100,000 Mucho Macho Man, the first stop on the Road to the Florida Derby, and the $100,000 Kitten’s Joy (G3).
Shivaree, who broke from the No. 1 post position in his quest to win his third straight race and second stakes in a row, was outsprinted along the backstretch as Cajun Casanova and Zaino Boys hooked up while setting a sharp a first-quarter faction in 21.50 seconds. The pacesetters continued to battle into the far turn before being joined on the outside by Ricki Ticki Taffi, who took over the lead on the turn into the homestretch. Jockey Emisael Jaramillo swung Shivaree to the far outside entering the stretch and the Jacks or Better homebred kicked in to draw away to a comfortable victory.
Shivaree ran six furlongs in 1:10.91. Ricki Ticki Taffi finished second, 1 ½ lengths ahead of late-running Peruvian Boy.
“The post was a concern and they outfooted him. Fortunately, he was able to get out and he stayed steady. They went very fast in front of him and kudos to Emisael for staying busy around the turn because if he gets too far back away from them, I don’t think he catches up,” trainer Ralph Nicks said. “He’s just steady. He has kind of a high speed to him, but not really, really fast. He stays even; he doesn’t give up.”
Shivaree had previously captured the Nov. 30 Buffalo Man, in which he set a pressured pace before being headed inside the eighth-pole, only to come back late to prevail over favored Went West by a neck in the six-furlong sprint. The son of Awesome of Course, who is a half-brother to multiple-stakes winner Garter and Tie, had previously broken his maiden by 9 ½ lengths in his fifth career start.
Via Gulfstream Park Press Release
