Shivmangal Hopes Gamble Pays Off

“In cricket terminology, this is the World Cup,” said Shivmangal.

It’s a fitting comparison, as Shivmangal trained thoroughbreds and formed the Guyana Cricket Association in his country of origin. This year, he’ll get to participate in the “World Cup” of thoroughbred racing for the first time with Shkspeare Shaliyah, an expected starter in the Juvenile Turf.

Shivmangal’s journey to the Breeders’ Cup has had more twists than, well, a work of Shakespeare. He was born into a racing family as his father, Bulla, was a trainer and his brother, Kalpoo, was a jockey. Doodnauth successfully rode one of his father’s horses, Broadway Bill, before he became too heavy to continue his career as a jockey, going on to train top local horses such as Guyana Star and Guyana Flyer.

After immigrating to the United States in 1984, Shivmangal worked at various shipping jobs before he started D.S. Trucking, which developed into D&S Logistics Inc., a company based at John F. Kennedy International Airport. He started training on the New York circuit in 1991, winning 21 races from 249 starts before he left the sport in 1995 to tend to his freight business.

Last year, Shivmangal began his third stint as a trainer, participating in the 2011 Preakness and Belmont Stakes with Isn’t He Perfect, who finished ninth and 12^th in the final two legs of the Triple Crown. His best performer since his return has been Shkspeare Shaliyah, who on October 2 gave the trainer his first graded stakes win when he captured the Grade 3 Pilgrim at Belmont Park.

Shivmangal’s story with Shkspeare Shaliyah began in June at the OBS June Sale of Two-Year-Olds & Horses of Racing Age. The trainer wanted to buy a horse for his adolescent granddaughter Shaliyah, originally purchasing a son of Bandini for $45,000 before he returned the colt to the seller after discovering a bone chip. In need of a new racing prospect, Shivmangal noticed hip 592, a bay son of dual Grade 1-winning turf horse Shakespeare.

“I remember him vividly,” said Shivmangal. “I looked at him in the morning, and I remembered Shakespeare. I looked at the mom [Tricky Mistress], who I saw was by Clever Trick and had produced a few winners. He had a little cut on his skin from either the van or the stall. He was a little wide behind, but he was a well-built horse. I assumed he’d go for $30,000-40,000. I got him for $21,000, and I was pleased.”

The colt – subsequently named Shkspeare Shaliyah, with the first “a” and “e” in “Shakespeare” dropped in order to comply with the Jockey Club’s 18-character limit – displayed potential in his early training.

“We knew he could run, so we took him to Saratoga where we would have more opportunities to breeze him on the grass,” said Shivmangal. “He went a half in 48, and we didn’t realize he was going that fast.”

The colt made his highly anticipated debut on August 27, Travers Day, coming from far back to finish third, defeated one length.

“We expected to win the race,” said Shivmangal. “He broke badly and the No. 2 horse came over on him, but he still ran a big race.”

Shkspeare Shaliyah earned his diploma in his second start, making an outside rally to take the lead in the final sixteenth en route to a half-length victory at Belmont Park on September 18. Alex Solis, who rode Shkspeare Shaliyah that day, was aglow after the race.

“To be honest with you, when he ran in the maiden special weight [at Belmont], there was no doubt in my mind that he’d win that day,” said Shivmangal. “After the race, Alex told me he was a Breeders’ Cup horse.”

Shskpeare Shaliyah, however, still needed to earn qualifying points for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, necessitating a strong performance in the Pilgrim. The colt delivered one, closing stoutly from last on the outside once again to register a one-length score.

“We knew he is a hell of a horse and there was no chance he was going to lose that day [in the Pilgrim],” Shivmangal said. “He’s a special horse, and Alex told me he has a special kick and engine.”

Even though Shkspeare Shaliyah made an emphatic case of continuing to the Breeders’ Cup with his Pilgrim victory, he was not nominated to the program, requiring Shivmangal to supplement the colt for $100,000 in addition to paying $30,000 in pre-entry and entry fees.

Shivmangal is quick to credit his family for their support over the decades, and he was able to call upon them to help raise the funds. His wife, Zalimoon Hassim, and two of his children, Kevin and Sherrie, made the outreach to members of their extended family, and together they were able to find enough money to supplement the horse.

In addition paying $130,000 in fees to run Shkspeare Shaliyah in the Juvenile Turf, Shivmangal has also declined offers from prospective buyers.

“I could not sell the horse because it would upset my granddaughter,” said Shivmangal. “How could I do that to her? When I was sick, she would come visit me in the hospital and cry.”

Instead of dwelling on the risk his family is taking with Shkspeare Shaliyah, Shivmangal, a man of faith, is grateful for the opportunity the colt has provided.