Next Shares Defends Title Vs. Brown Pair in Seabiscuit
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Photo: Benoit Photo
Next Shares wins the 2019 Seabiscuit Handicap at Del Mar
In last year's Seabiscuit Handicap (G2T) at Del Mar, the Richard Baltas-trained Next Shares was completely ignored on the odds-board at 25-1 despite being a grade 1 winner and millionaire. The betting public questioned the form of the Archarcharch gelding as he had managed only one win from seven starts in 2019 prior to the race. But Next Shares was able to silence his doubters, springing the upset after scoring the perfect rail-skimming ride from pilot Jose Valdivia Jr.
Next Shares enters this year's $200,000 turf contest Nov. 27 at 1 1/16 miles again as an outsider, winless in six starts for his 2020 campaign. The dark bay began the year in commendable form, just missing when third in the Mar. 7 Frank E. Kilroe Mile (G1T) at Santa Anita Park and closing for second behind Raging Bull in the May 25 Shoemaker Mile (G1T) over that same turf course. After those efforts, Next Shares failed to find his best stride in three off-the-board finishes, crossing the wire in seventh last time out in the John Henry Turf Championship (G2T) Sept. 26.
Valdivia is reunited with Next Shares for the Seabiscuit, and the 7-year-old will attempt to defend his Seabiscuit title from post 9.
Next Shares faces a pair of formidable rivals shipping into town in Chad Brown-trained stablemates Flavius and Spirit Animal. Flavius is the more accomplished of the two. A stakes winner in Ireland as a 3-year-old, the son of War Front recorded a lucrative victory in the Sept. 7 Tourist Mile Stakes at Kentucky Downs two starts back. Flavius scorched the mile over the hilly turf course in 1:32.21, earning a 115 Equibase Speed Figure. The Juddmonte homebred then returned in Keeneland's Oct. 3 Shadwell Turf Mile (G1T), but encountered traffic during the stretch run and checked in fifth, 2 3/4 lengths behind the winner, Ivar.
Spirit Animal is 2-for-3 this season, capturing a Belmont Park allowance optional claimer by 2 3/4 lengths Sept. 19. The Lemon Drop Kid colt ships from Churchill Downs, where he has been working regularly after scratching from a Nov. 13 allowance event pulled from that track's troubled turf course.
Flavius and Spirit Animal secure the services of leading New York-based jockeys Irad Ortiz Jr. and Manny Franco, respectively—who are flying in for Del Mar's weekend race card.
Anothertwistoffate will be making his first start for trainer Peter Miller as well as his first start on grass in the Seabiscuit. The dark bay turned heads in his prior effort, romping by 4 1/2 in the Longacres Mile Stakes (G3) Sept. 10 at Emerald Downs following a 14-month layoff. Previously trained by Blaine Wright, Anothertwistofffate is by the deceased Scat Daddy, the sire of grade 1 turf winners Caravaggio , Lady Aurelia, and Mendelssohn , among others.
Joel Rosario has the call on Anothertwistoffate, breaking from post 8.
My Boy Jack, Camino Del Paraiso, Imperador, Count Again, Majestic Eagle, Blitzkrieg, One Bad Boy, Tartini, and Bowie's Hero complete the field.
Del Mar, Saturday, November 28, 2020, Race 7Entries: Seabiscuit H. (G2T)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1My Boy Jack (KY)
Victor Espinoza
118
J. Keith Desormeaux
30/1
2
2Camino Del Paraiso (CA)
Tiago Josue Pereira
119
O. J. Jauregui
15/1
3
3Spirit Animal (KY)
Manuel Franco
118
Chad C. Brown
8/1
4
4Imperador (ARG)
Drayden Van Dyke
120
Paulo H. Lobo
15/1
5
5Count Again (ON)
Juan J. Hernandez
120
Philip D'Amato
8/1
6
6Majestic Eagle (KY)
Mario Gutierrez
119
Neil D. Drysdale
15/1
7
7Blitzkrieg (KY)
Abel Cedillo
120
Doug F. O'Neill
10/1
8
8Anothertwistafate (KY)
Joel Rosario
120
Peter Miller
4/1
9
9Next Shares (KY)
Jose Valdivia, Jr.
120
Richard Baltas
12/1
10
10One Bad Boy (ON)
Flavien Prat
120
Richard Baltas
12/1
11
11Tartini (KY)
Edwin A. Maldonado
117
Mark Glatt
30/1
12
12Flavius (KY)
Irad Ortiz, Jr.
123
Chad C. Brown
5/2
13
13Bowies Hero (KY)
UMBERTO RISPOLI
121
Philip D'Amato
6/1
