Maiden winner Shakhimat stretches out in search of his first added-money score in Sunday’s $250,000 Coronation Futurity, at Woodbine.
Trained by multiple Hall of Fame conditioner Roger Attfield for owner Dan Gale, the handsome Lonhro colt comes into the 1 1/8-mile clash for Canadian-bred juveniles with a resume that includes a driving 2 ¼-length maiden win on the ‘Poly’ and a third-place run over the grass in the Cup and Saucer Stakes.
But, as jockey Emma-Jayne Wilson will attest, Shakhimat is a horse still very much looking to reach the potential of his father, Lonhro, a Hall of Fame racehorse in Australia who sported a race record of 26-3-2 from 35 starts.
“I remember hearing about this horse and hearing how much he looked like his dad,” recalled Wilson. “I was standing in the office with his owner and Roger and they showed me the stallion ad in the Blood-Horse and this horse was strong, black and solid. And then I remember seeing Shakhimat and they weren’t kidding. He is the spitting image of his father.”
Lonhro was named a world champion miler in 2004 having taken a trio of Group One events including the C.F. Orr Stakes, Darley Australian Cup and George Ryder Stakes in his native Australia.
Shakhimat trained forwardly into his September 19 debut in a seven furlong maiden allowance. His morning efforts were well documented in clocker reports.
“The first time I worked him, he effortlessly drew away from an older horse. The way he trained into the first race was very impressive,” said Wilson.
The stocky fellow raced prominently on debut taking advantage of a track made speed friendly following a cloud-bursting deluge a race earlier.
“I wasn’t sure exactly how that first race was going to pan out. Pace scenario that day was limited and first time starters haven’t really shown what they have or how they want to do it,” recalled Wilson. “Roger and I discussed that and the outcome was to just see what he’s happy doing. He wants to be a racehorse and you could see it that day.”
A move to turf for his second start, in the 1 1/16-mile Cup and Saucer, seemed a natural progression for the well-bred Shakhimat, but the colt was no match for runaway winner Conquest Enforcer who romped to a six-length win. Shakhimat chased the pace and finished third, two lengths behind rallying Coronation Futurity rival Butterfly Dance.
“It surprised me. I thought he’d run a little better than that and be able to handle any kind,” said Wilson of the Coronation Futurity run. “He telegraphed (his talent) leading up to the race, and the way he was training, that I thought he’d run a little better than he did.
“That goes to show a little bit about the development. We’ve yet to see what his best distance or surface is and as big a part of the team as I am, I leave that in Roger’s very capable hands to figure out what his best everything is. Time will tell how he pans out and what type of racehorse that he is. Hopefully he’s type I think he is.”
Sunday’s test will mark Shakhimat’s first attempt around two turns and, like many of the young horses lined up for the Coronation Futurity, the question of stamina is one that will need to be answered.
“Roger Attfield has taken Not Bourbon, a legitimate sprinter, and turned him into a mile and a quarter horse on the day that it mattered,” said Wilson of the 2008 Queen’s Plate champion. “So, distance limitations? I’m sure he has his preferences, but Roger is capable of convincing him otherwise if need be.”
Shakhimat has come out of the Cup and Saucer in good order and, on November 1, with Wilson in the irons, posted a five furlong breeze in 1:01.20 that is even better than it looks on paper, as the colt powered home quickly into a headwind.
“That was one of the first times he worked on his own and his intensity wasn’t as high as it usually is. On the backside he was relaxed and not having that ‘now’ kind of mentality,” explained Wilson. “To finish as strong as he did on any day would have been nice, but to finish into the headwind how he did, with the time he put up, was more than impressive. If he can continue to learn and progress and develop, these are the kind of things that can turn him into a champion.”
Although a key race on the calendar for Canadian-breds, the last horse to win the Coronation Futurity and then the Queen’s Plate was Norcliffe, who achieved the feat in 1975-76. He also holds the stakes record time, since the race was contested at 1 1/8 miles, of 1:49.20.
Inaugurated in 1902 at Toronto’s Old Woodbine Racetrack, the race has been won by some notable names, including Northern Dancer in 1963, who would go on to win the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes. Sunny’s Halo won the 1982 edition and then took the Kentucky Derby the following year.
Also on tap Sunday is the Grade 2, $150,000 Autumn Stakes, a 1 1/16-mile ‘Poly’ stake for three-year-olds and upward featuring a field of eight that includes graded stakes winners Are You Kidding Me, Florida Won, Lukes Alley, Golden Sabre and Karibu Gardens.
The Coronation Futurity is slated as Race 8 while the Autumn Stakes will go as Race 6 on Sunday’s 10-race card. First post time is 1 p.m. Fans can watch and wager via HPIBet.com.
FIELD FOR THE $250,000 CORONATION FUTURITY
POST / HORSE / JOCKEY / TRAINER
1 / Shakhimat / Emma-Jayne Wilson / Roger Attfield
2 / Scholar Athlete / Alan Garcia / Graham Motion
3 / Conquest Twister / Patrick Husbands / Mark Casse
4 / Hey Bear / David Moran / Mike Doyle
5 / Butterfly Dance / Eurico Rosa da Silva / Malcolm Pierce
6 / Storm Hawk / Jesse Campbell / Sid Attard
7 / Hard Catch / Omar Moreno / Mark Frostad
8 / Niigon’s Edge / Gerry Olguin / Stuart Simon
9 / Gigantic Breeze / Luis Contreras / Mike DePaulo
10 / Distinctive Bay / Justin Stein / Sid Attard
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