Derby Watch: Shadwell Stables could have another contender in Shagaf

Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum is like most owners in the Thoroughbred industry in that the Kentucky Derby occupies a definitive spot on his list of aspirations.

Rather than an obsession, the pursuit of the American classics has been more organic for the deputy ruler of Dubai and his Shadwell Stables operation. Success on an international stage had long been his main focus. But when Shadwell’s Jazil finished fourth in the 2006 Kentucky Derby and went on to capture the Belmont Stakes, a shift in mindset came with the accolades.

“(The Kentucky Derby) has been a goal of Sheikh Hamdan’s for a long time, but he didn’t really focus on it as much as he did the European racing until we ran Jazil,” said Rick Nichols, vice president and general manager of Shadwell Farm. “When Jazil ran fourth in the Derby, that really piqued his interest. And from then on, he has started leaving us a lot better yearlings to train in America.”

Sheikh Hamdan’s colors have been the dominant ones on this year’s Kentucky Derby trail as their undefeated Fountain of Youth Stakes winner Mohaymen, a $2.2 million purchase at the 2014 Keeneland September Sale, continues to be unfazed by every test thrown at him. The son of Tapit might have some company in carrying the Shadwell banner toward the classics this year as their unbeaten Shagaf seeks his first graded stakes win — and 50 Kentucky Derby qualifying points — in Saturday’s Grade III, $400,000 Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct.

Trained by Chad Brown, Shagaf is an unproven commodity with only two career starts. A minor illness kept him from making his career debut until last Nov. 22 but the son of Bernardini turned heads when he won that 1-mile outing at Aqueduct by 6 lengths.

Another slight illness held up Shagaf after that score but he returned to win a 1-mile allowance race at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 29. He has shown enough to be installed as the tepid 3-1 favorite on the Gotham morning line over Grade III Withers winner Sunny Ridge and six others, earning high praise from his conditioner in the process.

“According to Chad, who sees him every day, he’s very high on the horse, and Chad ... is not someone who will talk up a horse a lot,” Nichols said. “He just feels very confident this is a very talented colt. We’ll know more Saturday afternoon. But I have a lot of respect for Chad and I definitely listen when he says certain things about that colt or any other horse.”

Were Shagaf and Mohaymen to both make it to the Kentucky Derby, it would be validation on both ends of the spectrum for the Shadwell operation. Where Mohaymen has been the rare seven-figure darling to live up to that billing on the track, Shagaf is a Shadwell homebred out of the Unbridled’s Song mare Muhaawara.

“It’s particularly sweet when you have a homebred because that just proves your whole program and what you’re doing and shows that you are on the right track,” Nichols said. “If they both end up in the Derby, who do you root for the most? I don’t know, I haven’t figured that out yet. But it’s been fun so far.”

The Derby Dozen

1. Mohaymen: Saying he hasn’t done a thing wrong is stating the obvious, but Mohaymen has been impressive for so many reasons. He cruised to the lead in the Fountain of Youth Stakes and put away Zulu with his customary ease despite taking a bump approaching the first turn and racing wide throughout. It just doesn’t matter to him. He can sit wherever he is asked and has yet to go to the well in terms of his ability. Mohaymen versus Nyquist in the Florida Derby could be a prep for the ages.

2. Nyquist: Turned in his first timed workout since his San Vicente victory, covering 4 furlongs in :48.80 at Santa Anita Park on Thursday. Considering how often the racing community laments that it wants to see its stars race each other more often, the decision by both Team Nyquist and the Mohaymen camp to stick to their Florida Derby plans — for now — should be lauded.

3. Mor Spirit: Turned in a solid 5-furlong move in :59.80 at Santa Anita on Feb. 28 after his botched work last Tuesday where jockey Gary Stevens pulled him up. Trainer Bob Baffert said the son of Eskendereya seemed “more aggressive” in his latest move and the Grade II San Felipe Stakes on March 12 is still on the table for his next start. “He’s tough to work,” Baffert said. “He shows us more in the afternoon, which is what you want.”

4. Brody’s Cause: Still clicking off works toward his expected season debut in the Grade II Tampa Bay Derby on March 12. There can be a tendency to get edgy when the calendar turns to March and a well-regarded Derby contender still has yet to race. Remember, however, American Pharoah didn’t make his sophomore debut until last March 14, Animal Kingdom not until March 3 of 2011 and Super Saver made his first 3-year-old appearance in the 2010 Tampa Bay Derby on March 13.

5. Zulu: For just his third career start, first race against graded stakes company and first try around two turns, there was a lot for trainer Todd Pletcher to be encouraged about with this one after running second to Mohaymen in the Fountain of Youth. “I think he established that he belongs in that type of company,” said Pletcher, who added that the Florida Derby, Wood Memorial, Arkansas Derby and Blue Grass Stakes are all possible for Zulu’s final Kentucky Derby prep.

6. Exaggerator: Worked 5 furlongs in 1:00.40 at Santa Anita last Saturday, his first move since running second in the San Vicente. Still on track for the San Felipe Stakes.

7. Gun Runner: Bounced out of his Risen Star win in good order and was back to work on Monday, going an easy 5 furlongs in 1:02.80 at Fair Grounds in preparation for his expected outing in the Grade II Louisiana Derby on March 26. He was getting tired at the end of the Risen Star, but that was to be expected given it was his first start since November. The son of Candy Ride is an improving runner with a latter-developing family that suggests he’ll only get better.

8. Mo Tom: A word about his sire Uncle Mo, who is also the sire of Nyquist: What Uncle Mo achieved as a record-setting freshman sire was nothing short of remarkable and it underscores what a shame it was that illness kept the racing community from seeing his full potential as a racehorse. There were distance questions regarding Uncle Mo himself but the influence of his sire Indian Charlie and Arch as his broodmare sire say there is stamina there to pull from.

9. Greenpointcrusader: Still taking the steady approach with his works, covering 5 furlongs in 1:02.45 at Palm Meadows on Feb. 27.

10. Smokey Image: Inadvertently caught Danzing Candy when the two were working last weekend with the former proving that he is getting cranked up for the San Felipe, clocking a bullet 6 furlongs in 1:12.20 at Santa Anita on Feb. 27 .

11. Suddenbreakingnews: Recorded his first work since his win in the Grade III Southwest Stakes, going 4 furlongs in :51.20 at Oaklawn on Feb. 27 in preparation for the Grade II, $900,000 Rebel Stakes on March 19.

12. Danzing Candy: Garnered a lot of talk when he stretched out in dazzling fashion, winning a 1-mile allowance race at Santa Anita on Feb. 4 by 5¾ lengths. Will get his first stakes test in the San Felipe but has shown great raw talent in winning two of his first three starts.

The Next Dozen

Sunny Ridge, Destin, Fellowship, Shagaf, Cherry Wine, Whitmore, Forevamo, Flexibility, Uncle Lino, Discreetness, Rally Cry, Conquest Big E.

This story was originally published March 4, 2016 at 6:22 PM with the headline "Derby Watch: Shadwell Stables could have another contender in Shagaf."