Spendthrift Farm’s freshman stallion Shakin It Up is having one heck of a June. Two of his first-time starters became winners on debut, propelling the stallion, who stands for $5000, to number five on the freshman sires list. The handsome son of Midnight Lute did not demonstrate unusual precocity at two, but was a G1 winner at three in the Malibu S.
On June 1, his son B.B. Dude, owned by Jerry Durant and trained by Steve Asmussen, fought hard to take a maiden special weight at Churchill Downs by ¾ of a length in his first out. The colt was bred by Sally Thomas and New Dawn Stable, LLC.
Then, on June 21, Stirred took the third at Santa Anita, another maiden special weight, by a length. Ridden by Drayden Van Dyke and trained by Michael McCarthy, she was a $52,000 Keeneland September yearling, and a $150,000 Ocala Breeders Sale March two-year old, and is now owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners. The filly was bred by Sally Thomas and New Dawn Stable.
In other news, the piratical Wesley Ward has once again stormed Ascot and come away with the booty, shanghaiing the Group 2 Norfolk S. with the only filly in this race for two-year olds, Shang Shang Shang, by Shanghai Bobby. This is Ward’s tenth win at Ascot, a new record for non-European trainers, and it was the result of a gutsy ride by Joel Rosario, who got the filly up by a very short nose. Owned by Breeze Easy, LLC, this filly is now two for two, as in her only other start she broke her maiden at Keeneland in a maiden special weight. Royal Ascot isn’t over yet—expect to see more of the top-hatted Ward beaming while getting trophies.