With a springtime breeding to top Kentucky stallion Medaglia d’Oro
all but assured,
Shumoos, with Garrett Gomez aboard, pushed motherhood
back a year by easily defeating five allowance rivals in Santa Anita’s
sixth race on Friday, winning by 2 ½ lengths while covering six furlongs
on a wet-fast surface in 1:09.52.
“We needed to win today to prove she’s getting back to her
best,” said winning trainer Ben Cecil. “Mr. Nass (owner, Fawzi) has a
breeding arranged with Medaglia d’ Oro, and I was scared we might lose
her (if she didn’t run well). I think this filly could be very good.
She showed a new dimension today in that she led. She’s had problems in
the gate, but not today.”
Idle since running second to multiple stakes winning Secret
Circle in the 2011 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Sprint at Churchill Downs,
Shumoos, a Grade III winner at two in England, broke sharply from the
rail and led in virtual gate to wire fashion through fractions of 21.52,
44.22 and 56.39.
Off as the 3-1 third choice in the wagering, Shumoos paid $8.60,
$3.80 and $3.40. With the winner’s share of $36,000, she ran her
bankroll to $199,341 from a record of 8-3-2-1.
Although the Shumoos camp was happy following the race, the
connections of comebacking multiple stakes winner Ismene, were not, as
she ran a disappointing fifth as the 4-5 favorite.
“She was spinning her wheels all the way around there,” said her
rider, Mike Smith. “We got a race in her though, and she came back
fine. We’ll see what happens.”
Quizzical, with Gary Stevens up, was attentive to the pace as
the second choice at 3-1, and held second by a neck over Sizzling Gold
and Agapito Delgadillo.
Quizzical paid $3.20 and $3.40, while Sizzling Gold, at 14-1, paid $7.00 to show.