Shadow best at Yonkers

Week after week of brutal trips might discourage lesser lads, but that hearty Michigan stock--both horse and driver--came to the fore in Saturday night's $35,000 Open Pace at Yonkers Raceway. Shadow's Best Buddy and exclusive escort Larry Stalbaum were first-over winners of the night's big prize, once again doing the hard way.

"That's the way he like it," Stalbaum said. "He wants to be used hard, and he wants to race another horse. When he gets all by himself, he gets lazy."

As is his custom, Shadow's Best Buddy--who drew post position No. 5--was in no particular hurry at the outset. An early battle ensued between the three inside numbers--Bono Bests (Jim Taggart Jr.), J ohn Adams (Eric Goodell) and 11-10 favorite Rair Earth (Jeff Gregory). It was the millionaire Rair Earth who led the way through fractions of :27.1 and :57.1, with Bono Bests in behind.

Shadow's Best Buddy began his uncovered (what else?) work night from fifth, challenging in earnest down the backside. He went up and over Rair Earth before the 1:25.1 three-quarters in a battle of veteran Keystone Raider geldiings.

Shadows Best Buddy had a 1 1/2-length lead to play with entering the lane, then held off John Adams--who had slipped out behind him--by a length in 1:55.1. Fly Fly Buckeye (Greg Grismore), covered up by the winner but unable to keep up, settled for third,.with Our First Falcon N (Ron Cushing) and Daylon Trooper (Pat Berry) completing the cashers.Rair Earth faded to seventh.

"I told Jeff (Gregory) that my 'Raider' is a going a bit better than his," Stalbaum said. "I bought (Shadow) a bit less than two years ago (April, '05) in Michigan for $9,000. He had about $8,000 made at the time, but I thought he showed me enough."

The now-8-year-old ended up earning more than $72,000 in '05, then another $121,000-plus last season. The third victory in nine '07 efforts for Shadow's Best Buddy was worth $7.60 (second choice) to his fans and pushed the winner's lifetime earnings to more than $256,000. He is trained by Kim Asher.

"He's just been a great horse for us," Stalbaum said, "but you have to work him, both racing and training." (Yonkers Raceway press release)

« Back