Shaman Ghost Conjures Up Brooklyn Victory

Shaman Ghost, last year’s Queen’s Plate winner and last year's Canadian champion 3-year-old colt, kicked on late to win the $400,000 Brooklyn Invitational (gr. II) June 11 at Belmont Park on the Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets (gr. I) undercard. 

Shaman Ghost, a 4-year-old homebred for Stronach Stables, won for the fifth time in 10 lifetime starts, and his purse earnings are now exceeding $900,000. The son of Ghostzapper  —Getback Time, by Gilded Time, ran second in the Prince of Wales’ Stakes, the second leg of the Canadian Triple Crown, following his Queen’s Plate triumph. He was trained by Brian Lynch for those Canadian classics, and was switched to Jimmy Jerkens before his first 2016 appearance, a third-place finish in an allowance optional claimer at Belmont.

Shaman Ghost broke alertly in the 12-furlong Brooklyn and then settled in down toward the rail as longshot Waymond Boyd assumed the early advantage tracked from the outside by Doyouknowsomething through fractions of :24.42 and :49.67. Catholic Cowboy and Securitiz ranged up down the backstretch to track the first two, while Shaman Ghost under Joel Rosario sat chilly on the rail as the opening three-quarters went in 1:15.09.

Waymond Boyd was getting brave on the lead, opening a length advantage that Doyouknowsomething cut into as the mile went in 1:39.42. That pair was on even terms off the second turn, but Shaman Ghost came best along the inside and quickly assumed a daylight advantage down the lane. Turco Bravo put in a nice move outside Shaman Ghost but was clearly second-best. Shaman Ghost hit the wire in 2:28.40, 4 3/4 lengths clear of Turco Bravo. Elnaawi was along for third, followed by Samraat, Securitiz, Doyouknowsomething, favored Kid Cruz, Neck ‘n Neck, Catholic Cowboy, and Waymond Boyd.

"I thought he was the class of the race, really," Jerkens said. "He was the most accomplished and I was just hoping that he would rate kind. When I saw him settle down after the first eighth of a mile, I thought we were in business."

Added Rosario, "Everything pretty much went as planned. He was very comfortable, and relaxed and finished strong."

Shaman Ghost returned $9 for the win and keyed an $80 exacta. He was bred in Ontario by Adena Springs. In addition to the Queen’s Plate, Shaman Ghost won the Marine Stakes (Can-III) last season. Rosario rode him once before, in his first race in 2014, when he finished fourth at Woodbine.