Ky Cup Classic

Shaniko earned his first stakes victory in style at Turfway (Michael J. Marten/Horsephotos.com)

Aaron and Marie Jones' SHANIKO (A.P. Indy) gained the lead leaving the far

turn and easily drew off through the stretch to record a 4 1/2-length victory in

Saturday's $342,500

Kentucky Cup Classic (G2), the centerpiece event of Turfway

Park's Kentucky Cup Day of Champions. Conditioned by Todd Pletcher, the

four-year-old colt tracked pacesetter Ball Four (Grand Slam) in second through

splits of :24 1/5, :48 2/5 and 1:13 1/5 before assuming the lead with little

encouragement from jockey Rafael Bejarano. Without an anxious moment through the

stretch, Shaniko completed the 1 1/8-mile event in 1:49 3/5 over the fast

Polytrack.

Favored at even-money, Shaniko notched his first stakes victory and returned

$4, $3 and $2.80 to his many supporters. Ball Four held the place at 45-1 and

paid $20.20 and $12. Silver Axe (Silver Ghost) rallied for third, another 2 3/4

lengths back, and was worth $5.80 at nearly 14-1. The exotics totaled $136.40

(exacta), $1,075.20 (trifecta) and $5,983.60 for the 2-6-1-7 superfecta that

included Salford City (Ire) (Desert Sun [GB]) in fourth. One Nice Cat (Storm

Cat), Absent Friend (Runaway Groom), Grand Reward (Storm Cat), M B Sea (Alphabet

Soup), Billy Allen (Ire) (Night Shift) and Cat Shaker (Catienus) rounded our the

order of finish.

Bred by William Carl in the Bluegrass State, Shaniko was purchased for

$550,000 at the 2002 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga August yearling sale and was unplaced

in three previous stakes attempts. He did enter Saturday's race having captured

two of his last three outings, including a 11-length allowance score at Saratoga

in his most recent start. He's now earned $371,610 from a 14-5-4-1 record. The

dark bay colt is the first foal from the nine-year-old Sapphire n' Silk

(Pleasant Tap), winner of the 1999 Prioress S. (G2) and La Troienne S. (G3), and

has an unraced two-year-old half-sister named Simply Enchanting (Forest

Wildcat), a yearling half-sister by Mr. Greeley and weanling half-brother by

Mineshaft.