Imprimis Prime to Capture Second Shakertown Stakes

Turf sprint warrior Imprimis  is back at Keeneland looking to recapture glory in the $200,000 Shakertown Stakes (G2T) April 3 against a deeply talented field of 13.

Trainer Joe Orseno, who conditions the 7-year-old gelded son of Broken Vow   for Breeze Easy, said he could not be happier with how Imprimis is coming into the 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint he won in 2019.

"He is coming into the race really well. He's on top of his game right now training-wise, physical condition, and his weight," Orseno said, wishing only that he could change Imprimis' draw into post 2.

"If this horse ever had a good throat then he'd be able to go long and stop getting into trouble going five and 5 1/2 (furlongs). I just hope the post doesn't keep him from running his race," he said.

Working in Imprimis' favor is having Paco Lopez onboard. Lopez and Imprimis overcame a bad start in the 2019 Shakertown and rallied to win by a neck.

"He stumbled in the gate, circled them, and ran down a very good horse that is back in here—Bound for Nowhere ," recalled Orseno. "I'm happy to have Paco on him because he knows the horse, and he rides him well."

The last time Imprimis faced a field this size with an inside post was last fall's Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T), where he broke from post 3. The post didn't turn out to be an issue because Imprimis and rider Irad Ortiz Jr. wove their way into the fourth spot behind the leaders in mid-stretch but then watched the gap in front of them evaporate. Ortiz had to check severely and all hope was lost.

Imprimis started 2021 strong by out-gunning Extravagant Kid  in the Janus Stakes at Gulfstream Park Jan. 1. Extravagant Kid went on to win the $1 million Al Quoz Sprint Sponsored by Azizi Developments (G1T) March 27 at Meydan. Imprimis comes into the Shakertown off a close second to The Critical Way  Feb. 24 in the Turf Dash Stakes at Laurel Park.

The Critical Way, a 7-year-old gelding by Tiznow, is the 9-2 third choice in this weekend's Shakertown. He will be ridden by Luis Saez and breaking from post 12.

Owner/trainer Wesley Ward's Bound for Nowhere is the slight 3-1 morning-line favorite. He will be ridden by Joel Rosario and break from post 13. The 7-year-old son of The Factor   won the 2018 running of the Shakertown, which he followed with a good third in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes (G1) during the Royal Ascot meet. Bound for Nowhere has been lightly raced since then with three starts in 2019 that included running second to Imprimis in the Shakertown Stakes and a win in a $100,000, seven-furlong allowance optional claimer at Belmont Park. Last year, he made two starts at 5 1/2 furlongs on the grass that yielded a second in the San Simeon (G3T) and a tight third by neck in the Shakertown to Leinster  and Totally Boss .

Other notable challengers in this year's Shakertown are grade 3 winner Turned Aside ; grade 1-placed, grade 2 winner Kanthaka ; and, High Crime , who comes into the race off a second by a neck to Leinster in the Feb. 13 Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint (G3T).  

The Shakertown is the eighth race on the April 3 card with a post time of 4:57 p.m. ET.

Entries: Shakertown S. (G2T)

Keeneland, Saturday, April 03, 2021, Race 8

• Grade IIT
• 5 1/2f
• Turf
• $200,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 4:57 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Smart Remark (KY)	Rafael Bejarano	122	Victoria H. Oliver	30/1
2	2Imprimis (FL)	Paco Lopez	124	Joseph F. Orseno	7/2
3	3Chess Master (FL)	Jesus Lopez Castanon	122	Kerri Raven	50/1
4	4Hollis (KY)	Gabriel Saez	124	John Alexander Ortiz	15/1
5	5Turned Aside (KY)	Chris Landeros	124	Mark E. Casse	6/1
6	6Readyforprimetime (KY)	Mitchell Murrill	122	Eric L. Heitzmann	15/1
7	7Kanthaka (KY)	Javier Castellano	122	H. Graham Motion	6/1
8	8American Butterfly (KY)	Drayden Van Dyke	122	D. Wayne Lukas	50/1
9	9Just Might (KY)	Colby J. Hernandez	122	Michelle Lovell	12/1
10	10Johnny Unleashed (KY)	Gerardo Corrales	122	Eric N. Foster	50/1
11	11High Crime (KY)	Julien R. Leparoux	122	Darrin Miller	8/1
12	12The Critical Way (PA)	Luis Saez	124	Jose H. Delgado	9/2
13	13Bound for Nowhere (KY)	Joel Rosario	122	Wesley A. Ward	3/1