The Lanni Family Trust and Schiappa’s SHINING ENERGY (Rahy) was last entering
the far turn in Monday’s $349,500
Gamely
Breeders’ Cup S. (G1), but with an explosive circling move beneath Victor
Espinoza, the Julio Canani filly catapulted into contention at the top of the
stretch and powered to a 1 3/4-length victory. The four-year-old chestnut
finished the nine-furlong affair over Hollywood Park’s firm turf course in 1:46
4/5.
As expected, Dancing Edie (Moscow Ballet) carved out the early splits of :24
3/5, :48 3/5 and 1:11 4/5, intently tracked first by Sharp Lisa (Dixieland Band)
and then by 6-5 favorite Argentina (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells), while Shining Energy
loped along comfortably in the rear. On the far turn, Argentina threw down the
gauntlet and challenged the longtime leader, getting her head in front through a
mile in 1:35 1/5, but the drama between the top pair was short-lived as the
winner was making eye-catching progress on the outside and quickly swept past
the duelists. Dancing Edie refused to be denied runner-up honors, outgaming
Argentina by a head. Hollywood Story (Wild Rush) crossed the wire another
half-length back in fourth.
Shining Energy was sent off as the tepid fourth choice in the wagering at
6-1, returning $14.80, $7 and $4.40 while spearheading $1 exotics worth $60.70
(exacta), $263.20 (trifecta) and $1,394.60 (2-7-5-4 superfecta). Dancing Edie,
dismissed as the longest shot on the board at nearly 11-1, rewarded her backers
with payouts of $10.80 and $5. Argentina was worth $2.60 to show.
Eternal Melody (NZ) (Shinko King) was fifth, followed by Sharp Lisa and
Ticker Tape (GB) (Royal Applause [GB]). Dalicia (Ger) (Acatenango) was
scratched.
Bred by Norman Cheng and Tony Feng in Kentucky, Shining Energy is out of the
multiple stakes winner Miss Universal (Ire) (Lycius), whose most notable victory
came in the 1998 Yerba Buena H. (G3). She has since produced an unnamed yearling
colt by Silver Charm and a 2006 colt by Rahy, a full brother to the winner. This
is the family of champions Glint of Gold (Mill Reef), Diamond Shoal (GB) (Mill Reef)
and Catella (Ger) (Generous) as well as 1989 Irish One Thousand Guineas (Ire-G1)
winner Ensconse (Lyphard) and 2001 Oaks d’Italia (Ity-G1) winner Zanzibar (In
the Wings [GB]).
With this victory, Shining Energy boosted her bankroll to $504,837 from a
scoreline of 15-5-3-1. This was her fourth career stakes success, following wins
last year in the San Clemente H. (G2) and La Habra S. and, in her prior start in
2006, the American Beauty H.