Newcomers Series: Shackleford
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| Breeders' Cup 2011 (Melissa Bauer-Herzog) |
Shackleford is an interesting entry in the breeding shed
next year, as the horse could be defined as an iron horse by today’s standards.
The flashy chestnut made 20 starts without injury, racing pretty consistently
throughout his career with breaks longer than a month and a half after the
start of his 3-year-old campaign only coming three times during his campaign,
with one of those coming during the winter of last year between the Breeders’ Cup
and Donn Handicap (gr. I). His one racing weakness was his insistence that he
had to be on the lead to be competitive but when it comes to a durable racehorse,
Shackleford is the perfect example.
Shackleford’s versatile race record also brings an
interesting mix to the table. He won his second race, a maiden at seven
furlongs on the dirt then followed that up with a 2 1/4 length win over 1 1/8
miles. Overall, Shackleford won at four different distances ranging from
sprints to short routes.
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| The end of the Clark Handicap (Melissa Bauer-Herzog) |
Shackleford is by the Grade 1 winner Forestry (Storm Cat),
who also won from 6 1/2 furlongs to 1 1/16 miles. Out of his 11 starts,
Forestry was the winner in seven of them, including three stakes races.
Forestry is the sire of over 40 stakes winners and 15 graded stakes winners,
including Discreet Cat (Cigar Mile (gr. I) winner, third in 2007 Breeders’ Cup
Dirt Mile) and Smokey Glacken.
Shackleford’s dam may be the best broodmare in America at
the moment and made provide a stronger selling point than his paternal side.
Oatsee (Unbridled) was the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association and Kentucky
Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders’ Inc.’s Broodmare of the Year in 2011. The
15-year-old mare only won two races in 21 starts with nine other on-the-board
finishes in allowance company but her value in the shed has more than made up
for her lack of stakes placings.
Oatsee has had nine foals of racing age according to
Equibase with a 2012 filly by Indian Charlie named Play Pretty born in March.
Of her nine racing age foals, seven have started and six have broken their
maiden. Five of her winners have gone on win stakes and four have won graded
stakes. Those four horses also have four Grade 1 wins, including an Alabama (gr.
I) win with Lady Joanne (Orientate) and a Preakness (gr. I) win with
Shackleford. In 2012, Oatsee’s foals have won seven stakes between three
different racers.
Oatsee has three grandfoals of racing age on the track with
four 2-year-olds. Two of the racing age foals have reached the track (both
2-year-olds) but none have won. Shackleford is Oatsee’s oldest son and is the
first to hit the shed.
Oatsee’s dam is the four-time winner With Every Wish (Lear
Fan). With Every Wish raced 34 times,
hitting the board in 17 of her starts for $110,143 in earnings. Her two stakes
placings came in the Valnor Handicap and Indian Maid Handicap, both at Hawthorne.
With Every Wish had nine foals including two full siblings
to Oatsee. Eight of Wish Every Wish’s foals made at least one start with five breaking
their maidens. With Every Wish had two colts that remained intact throughout
their careers and her third oldest foal, a full brother to Oatsee named Gazebo
is currently standing in Wisconsin according to the Bloodhorse Stallion
Directory.
Other than Oatsee’s foals, With Every Wish’s daughters have
produced 11 foals of racing age with eight making it to the track and three
breaking their maidens. None of those horses have any foals of racing age.
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| 2012 Clark Handicap (Melissa Bauer-Herzog) |
Interestingly enough, Shackleford’s pedigree has no names
appearing twice in the first four generations. Dr. Fager is the first to appear
twice in the pedigree with the stallion appearing in the fourth generation
through Forestry’s granddam Surgery and in the fifth generation through
Unbridled’s granddam Killaloe. One has to look back to the fifth generation to
see any more doubling of names with Bold Ruler and In Reality both appearing
twice in that generation.
Shackleford is standing for $20,000 in 2013, which is in the
middle of market for first year stallions. His price is comparable to other
first year stallions such as Creative Cause ($15,000), Tapizar ($15,000), The
Factor ($15,000) and Stay Thirsty ($20,000).
Shackleford joins Dialed In ($7,500) and Jersey Town ($10,000)
as freshmen at Darby Dan farm in Lexington, Kentucky.
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