Bolo surprises at 32-1 in 2019 Shoemaker Stakes

Warhol's take on Bill Shoemaker, racing great and stake's namesake.

Aracdia, Calif. -- The Shoemaker Mile in 2019 draws an interesting field. Families are out for the day - the kids playing in the infield as they are want to do on a traditional Decoration Day outing. Pop's attention turns to handicapping.

On paper, when you looked at the pace, you'd say there is less than no pace, except for Bolo. First, hold that thought. Then, you'd say, he used to be a contender. And he didn't do badly at all on his last out, which was off a year and a half layoff. If you watched the race you'd say maybe he could get a mile this time. But that is only because you are against the ones that looked so good on paper. He looked better in his last run than Le Ken and Desert Stone, who were the other outliers.

The best of those seemed to be Sharp Samurai, but he was coming off 145 day layoff. The other bests were Catapult and Bowies Hero and Delta Prince and Ohio. Nice but maybe it might not be their day. They tend to trade trips to the Winners Circle. Same for River Boyne, but watching his last race you could say he did make a second run after some trouble and maybe was back at his home track and prepared to return to his formerly stellar streak. At 6-1 the price was fair.Couple him with Bolo. Maybe Bolo in second off layoff could gain the front and carry his speed, even if he gets nipped at the wire.

That was the background of the thinking when I made a plunge of $8 for $2W, $2P on Bolo. $2W on River Boyne. And $1 Exacta box Bolo and Boyne. Happy days, McGee, the pay off on that was about $250, as Bolo did go to the lead, and could not be headed, and River Boyne got the second spot. The theory was numbers have these all in play. Looking beyond numbers, at pace, and revieweing film on outliers seemed a way to spend some time while digesting hot dogs and burghers.



The Bolo story is poignant, as trainer Carla Gaines patiently trained Bolo through operation and long months of recuperation and training to get to this Grade 1 win. But it is not the kind of poignancy that will save this sport from the bright light cast on Santa Anita's record of equine safety.

Sadly, another horse broke down Saturday - 9 year old Kochees, a veteran and beloved campaigner that vets could not save. Sen Fienstein (D-Calif.) renewed her earlier call for a suspension of racing. Why can't US racing have the same mortality rate as European racing, she asks. It is a pretty rational question, and you have to think the answers go deep into whatever it is that the U.S. is.

A word on Bill Shoemaker, racing great and stake's namesake. Among the great horses he rode were Swaps, Northern Dancer, Ack Ack, Ferdinand, Sword Dancer, Forego, John Henry and Spectacular Bid.  How good was Shoemaker? He won four Kentucy Derbies, two Preakness Stakes, five Belmont Stakes (spanning from 1957 to 1975) and one Breeders Cup Classic. He won the Arlington Handicapp four times, the Bing Crosby 3, the Blue Grass Stakes 6, the Hollywood Gold Cup 8 times, and on and on. Juanita E. and I saw him on his farewell national tour at Suffolk Downs, where he courteously signed posters. One tough Texan. - Racetrack Romero