Shanghai Bobby much the best in Hopeful

Shanghai Bobby will go the Champagne undefeated following an impressive score in the Hopeful (Harold Roth/Horsephotos.com) Trainer Todd Pletcher had three of the eight starters in Monday’s Grade 2, $400,000 Hopeful at Saratoga, and won the historic fixture for a second time when Starlight Racing’s Shanghai Bobby impressively dismantled his rivals by 3 3/4 lengths under Rosie Napravnik. Part of an entry that started as the 2-1 second choice, Shanghai Bobby returned $6.30, $3.50 and $2.30. Tracking in fourth from an outside position down the backside, Shanghai Bobby chased splits of :22 2/5 and :45 1/5 set by Majestic Hussar. The Pletcher-trained Overanalyze applied pressure to the leader around the far turn as Shanghai Bobby also began to launch his bid from a three-wide position, and the trio were virtually on even terms passing the quarter pole. That did not last long, however, as Shanghai Bobby exerted his superiority soon after entering the stretch and drew off convincingly to complete seven furlongs in 1:22 3/5 over the fast main track. “He was actually quite a handful today,” Napravnik said. “Usually, he’s a little more relaxed. Today, he was keyed up. It was all positive energy. He was ready to go. He did rate properly and finished really strong. He’s a very talented horse.”

Fortify, the 8-5 favorite, and Grade 2 Sanford winner Bern Identity overtook
Overanalyze and a retreating Majestic Hussar approaching the eighth pole and
dueled to the wire for the place. Fortify proved three parts of a length better,
while Overanalyze finished 2 1/2 lengths behind Bern Identity in fourth.
Completing the order of finish were Show Some Magic, Vegas No Show, Majestic
Hussar and Lawn Man. Royal Art was scratched.

Shanghai Bobby is now undefeated in three career starts with earnings of
$367,000. A four-length debut winner over 4 1/2 furlongs at Aqueduct April 19,
he returned just a little more than two months later to take the Track Barron, a
5 1/2-furlong overnight stakes at Belmont Park on June 27, by a length.

“I really liked this horse since day one,” Napravnik added. “He’s very
sensible, and he’s been moving forward every race and really maturing. I thought
he was going to excel off his last race. It’s great to have him back and in good
shape. I’m sure he’ll move forward off of this as well.”

“Now we’re on a better schedule for the (Grade 1) Champagne (at Belmont Park
October 6), Pletcher said. “That was a very professional effort from him. So
far, he’s been very good. It seemed like he won with a little something left
today; he was pricking his ears when he came to the wire. We’re very proud of
him.”

Bred in Kentucky by Stonehaven Steadings, Shanghai Bobby was a $105,000
Keeneland September purchase. He is the first foal to race out of the
stakes-winning Orientate mare Steelin’ and hails from the family of Grade
1-winning producer City Band. This is also the family of multiple Grade 3 winner
American Lion.

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