Content to sit with the pack for much of Saturday’s $125,000
Bayou Breeders’
Cup H. (G3) at Fair Grounds, William S. Farish Jr.’s homebred SHADOW CAST (Smart Strike) and jockey Robby
Albarado commenced their run turning for home and found a seam on the rail to
kick clear and stop the clock for the nine-furlong firm turf event in 1:53 3/5. Sent
off as the second choice at 2-1, the chestnut returned $6.80, $4.20 and $2.80.
With Ide Be a Lady (Ide) setting an even pace through fractions of :24 and
:49 2/5 for the half, Shadow Cast rated in fourth as eventual third-place
finisher and post-time favorite Sister Swank (Skip Away) and May Gator (Green
Alligator) chased the leader. After three quarters in 1:13 4/5, Albarado asked
the four-year-old for her best, getting the mile in a pedestrian 1:40 4/5 and
moving to the fore with the closers. With a lot of horse and not a lot of space,
Albarado pointed the filly toward the rail and found breathing room,
accelerating through the final furlong to win by two lengths.
Bijou (Cozzene) closed well to nip Sister Swank for the place, giving back
$12.60 and $4.40 and completing the $94.80 exacta. Sister Swank, sent off at
9-5, was worth $3 for the show and finished off the $260.60 trifecta. Cape Town
Lass (Horse Chestnut [SAf]) finished fourth and polished off the
$1,214.60 superfecta (5-7-1-3). They were followed under the wire by Humorous Miss
(Distorted Humor), May Gator, Ide Be a Lady and My Misty Princess (Acceptable).
This is Shadow Cast’s second graded victory after taking the Silverbulletday
S. (G2) here last year. The Kentucky bred improves her mark to 16-7-1-5
with earnings of $408,485. Out of the unraced Dayjur mare Daily Special, Shadow
Cast counts herself as a half-sister to the unraced two-year-old Certain
Circles (King Cugat).