Shanghai Bobby will go postward as one of the favorites in Saturday’s $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1). Indeed, the 2-year-old Harlan’s Holiday colt is the 2-1 morning line choice in the field of nine in the 1 1/16-mile contest.
Harlan’s Holiday sits atop the 2012 2-year-old sire list with $1,443,284 in progeny earnings and five stakes-winning juveniles.
Shanghai Bobby has been invincible to this point, with a perfect 4-for-4 record, all at different distances. After breaking his maiden by four lengths going 4 ½ furlongs at Aqueduct in April, the dark bay came back in late June to capture the 5 ½ furlong Track Barron S. at Belmont Park. An impressive 3 ¾ length score came next in the seven furlong, Grade 2 Hopeful S. in early September at Saratoga. Next, it was back to Belmont Park for the one mile Champagne S. (G1) on Oct. 6, and Shanghai Bobby proved much the best with a five-length score.
Jack Wolf, managing partner of owner Starlight Racing, confirmed Tuesday his group sold a 50-percent interest in Shanghai Bobby to the Coolmore partnership of Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith.
“They’ve been interested in the horse prior to the Champagne Stakes and their interest obviously increased when we won the Grade I there,” Wolf said. “Before I did anything with these guys I talked to all of our partners and they all agreed that it was the right thing to do. I look forward to being partners with them. They’re very smart business people and good horsemen.”
Willcox Inn contests Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Mile
Harlan’s Holiday also has Willcox Inn, part of the nine-horse Mile on the turf, in on Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup card. The dark bay 4-year-old will face the sternest test of his career, but comes into the $2 million race in fine form after finishing second to the formidable Wise Dan on Oct. 6 in Keeneland’s Shadwell Turf Mile (G1). Willcox Inn, trained by Michael Stidham, has never been worse than third in four starts at a mile on the grass.
