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Secretariat goes to 'Sham'

Shamdinan earned his first stakes win in style (Patrick Tyrrell/Horsephotos.com) Triple B Farms et al's SHAMDINAN (Fr) (Dr Fong) made his U.S. debut a winning one in Saturday's $400,000 Secretariat S. (G1), closing strongly on Arlington Park's turf to catch Red Giant (Giant's Causeway) in deep stretch for a half-length decision. Third in the Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby) (Fr-G1), Shamdinan was recently sold and transferred to Doug O'Neill, who saddled the three-year-old to his first stakes win. Julien Leparoux guided the chestnut colt. Sent off the 9-2 co-third choice in the nine-horse field, Shamdinan rated near the back of the pack as Pleasant Strike (Smart Strike) led the way through opening splits in :24 4/5, :48 4/5, 1:14 3/5 and 1:39 3/5 over the good turf. He began to advance on the far turn and angled out for a clear run down the lane, but Virginia Derby (G2) hero Red Giant got the jump on his rival and opened a 1 1/2-length lead in the stretch drive as the Secretariat developed into a two-horse race. Shamdinan kept coming on the far outside and eventually wore down Red Giant in the final strides, finishing 1 1/4 miles in 2:04. "The jockey who rode (him) in France told me don't let (him) drop the bit," Leparoux said. "He was very relaxed for me today and took the bit and I thought he won pretty easy."

Garrett Gomez had no excuses aboard the runner-up.

"I was able to get in a great spot," he explained. "When I said 'let's go,' he did. He ran a great race. He was just second best today."

Shamdinan furnished winning mutuels of $11.60, $6 and $4.80 while keying the $47.20 exacta with 5-2 second choice Red Giant, who gave back $4 and $3.20. It was 5 1/2 lengths back to Going Ballistic (Lite the Fuse), who paid $4.60 at 10-1, and 9-5 favorite Admiralofthefleet (Danehill) checked in another 1 3/4 lengths back in fourth. The trifecta returned $279, and the 8-5-1-2 superfecta was $922. Love Dubai (E Dubai), Mostacolli Mort (Hold for Gold), Lattice (Arch), Pleasant Strike and Fleeting Shadow (Ire) (Danehill) rounded out the order of finish.

Bred in France by the Aga Khan, Shamdinan captured his second career outing in his 2007 bow and two starts later ran third in the French Derby. Prior to this one, he was ninth in the Irish Derby (Ire-G1), but now has a spot reserved in the October 27 Breeders' Cup Turf (G1) at Monmouth Park. Now 6-2-2-1 with $502,346 in earnings, Shamdinan hails from the Group 2-placed Shamdara (Dr Devious [Ire]). This is the same female family of Group 1 victress Shamdala (Grand Lodge) as well as Group 2 winner and 1996 Irish Oaks (Ire-G1) runner-up Shamadara (Kahyasi).

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