The slight 3-1 second choice, Shaman Ghost handed trainer Brian Lynch and
When the gate opened, the filly Academic (Henny Hughes) took up her customary
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Nor did Academic get her pacesetting role as desired. For a rank Sweet Grass
Creek (Wando) chased her through a swift opening quarter in :22 4/5 on the
Polytrack, then passed her rounding the clubhouse turn. After Sweet Grass Creek
widened his margin down the backstretch through splits of :45 3/5 and 1:10 4/5,
Academic was a spent force in pursuit. Sweet Grass Creek soon came back to the
field himself and gave way badly on the far turn. Both he and Academic were
eased but walked off the track.
Billy’s Star (Perfect Soul) was the first to take the baton from the
exhausted Sweet Grass Creek. Although the Roger Attfield pupil pulled a length clear at the mile mark
in 1:37 2/5, his better-fancied stablemate Danish Dynaformer was moving smartly on the outside, however, and
loomed into contention.
Gaining command in the stretch, the favorite looked poised to give his Hall
of Fame trainer a record ninth Plate success. Then came the
specter of Shaman Ghost, who appeared on the premises in the final sixteenth and
subdued Danish Dynaformer by 1 1/4 lengths. The Ontario-bred negotiated the 1
1/4-mile “Gallop for the Guineas” in 2:03 2/5 and paid $8.60.
“I just wanted to make sure, me and Brian where talking about it, just by the
quarter-pole try to be outside the horses,” Hernandez said. “He (Danish
Dynaformer) make a move too early, I let him pass me. I know my horse always got
a kick. So he did his thing. He made his kick down the lane and we get ’em back.
“He is a great horse. He gave me everything today.”
“I thought it was a great ride — very patient,” Lynch said. “I thought a few
jocks panicked at the quarter-pole, but you can see him sort of sitting. We had
the best horse on the day.
“I could just see Rafael’s red cap moving forward, moving forward, trying to
get himself in a good position. Then I knew this horse would have some finish to
him and I knew I had the right rider. He is very patient and would give this
horse a fabulous ride.”
The unfortunate Conquest Bougaloo rallied gamely for third, just a
half-length off Danish Dynaformer. Billy’s Star checked in fourth in the 11 who
crossed the wire.
Attfield paid tribute to the winner.
“They (Danish Dynaformer and Billy’s Star) were both excellent, but they got
beat by the horse I was worried about. They both ran well, there’s no question,”
the Hall of Famer summed up.
Shaman Ghost extended his winning streak to four. The May 5 foal didn’t break
his maiden until his fourth start, succeeding at Gulfstream Park March 14, but
quickly followed up in an April 9 Keeneland allowance. Up in time after traffic
trouble in his stakes debut in the May 16 Marine (Can-G3), he was kept fresh for
this engagement, which boosted his bankroll to $611,611 from his 7-4-0-0 line.
Stronach had his hopes up going into the race.
“Just as I was walking in the grass near the saddling area, I looked down and
saw a four-leaf clover. That’s usually a good sign,” Stronach said. “But I had a
good feeling all day long because the horse here beat every horse in the race
before in better times. I think this time we got a real good horse and he was
hardly breathing when he came over here (to the winner’s circle).”
Out of the multiple stakes-placed Getback Time (Gilded Time), Shaman Ghost
hails from a California family featuring multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire
Brother Derek (Benchmark).
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