Shagaf Sires First Winner in Indiana

Indiana Stallion Station's freshman sire Shagaf   sired his first winner when his gelded son Shagbark  won a one-mile maiden special weight Aug. 10 at Horseshoe Indianapolis by 2 3/4 lengths.

Shagbark found the winner's circle after two previous third-place finishes since June 20. Jockey Fernando De La Cruz had the gelding stalking pacesetter Cinco de Oros  for the opening six furlongs and then took command at the eighth-pole for the win. The final time was 1:42.54.

Bruce Murphy bred Shagbark in Indiana out of the winning Proud Citizen mare Proud Dream. He now campaigns the gelding with his wife Lori and trainer Genaro Garcia, who races as Southwest Racing Stables.

Proud Dreamer also raced for the Murphys as a homebred. She hails from the immediate family of grade 3-placed stakes winner First Again and stakes winners Ells End and Ells Once Again.

Shadwell Farm bred and raced Shagaf, a 10-year-old son of Bernardini out of its homebred Unbridled's Song stakes winner Muhaawara. Shagaf won three of seven career starts and gave his best performance in the Gotham Stakes (G3), which he won by 1 1/4 lengths over Laoban.

Shagaf started in the 2016 Kentucky Derby (G1) but sustained an injury during the race and was pulled up. He never returned to top form. Shadwell retired him to Indiana Stallion Station in 2019. He stood this year for $2,500.