There’s been a lot of talk about Wednesday’s race on December 26 at Santa Anita . Park. The $67,000 special maiden weight for kids ages 3 and up has attracted an elite teenage sector that includes Spendthrift’s QB One , a son trained by Richard Mandella of an excellent mare Beholder , and the duo of Hopkins and Shaaz from Bob Baffert’s barn, the two of them were preparing for the morning board in Santa Anita.
One step behind the gate, Shaaz entered the midfield early as Hopkins was heavily touted to take the helm, racing an opening quarter-final with a 21.99 margin. Led by driver John Velasquez, Shaaz advanced steadily on past leads a: 45.01 half a mile and loomed four wide around the bend. Setting his sights on his steady friend down the lane, Shaaz broke into Hopkin’s lead, overtaking that foe on his last steps despite failing to change the lead for the entire run. .
Shaaz, half-length in front of Hopkins at the cord, clocked the 6 1/2 further in a quick 1:16.11 time on a fast main track. The lover bet 1-2, he pays 3.00 dollars.
QB One finished sixth in his debut.
A 3-year-old son of Uncle Mo , Shaaz topped the sale at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sale in 2020 when it sold to Michael Lund Peterson for $1.1 million. Shaaz was bred in Virginia by the William M. Backer Revocable Trust and is outside the winning Miss Ocean Mineshaft mare, who also produced Azar, winner of the 2015 With Anticipation Stakes (G2T) contest.
Videotapes: Race 4 (MSW) in SA on 12/26/21
