Disco Partner Heads Full Shakertown Field

Patricia Generazio's homebred Disco Partner returns to turf sprinting in the $200,000 Shakertown Stakes (G2T) at Keeneland April 7.

With snow in the forecast for the Lexington area overnight April 6, an overflow field of older horses has been entered for the 5 1/2-furlong Shakertown. Disco Partner is the 5-2 morning-line favorite for his 6-year-old debut.

Last year, the son of Disco Rico won four of six starts, defeating eventual Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) winner Stormy Liberal in the six-furlong Jaipur Invitational Stakes (G3T) at Belmont Park June 10.

"(Disco Partner) is a great credit to Mr. and Mrs. Generazio's program," said trainer Christophe Clement. "He makes my life much easier, because it's much easier to win races with a fast horse than it is with a slow one." 

In his most recent effort, Disco Partner placed third in the Nov. 4 Turf Sprint, a half-length behind Stormy Liberal and runner-up Richard's Boy. Shakertown entrant Bucchero finished another half-length back for fourth.

Fresh off his winter break, and with Irad Ortiz Jr. slated to ride, Disco Partner will break from post 13.

"He's back now, and he's ready to roll," Clement said. "The Shakertown looked like the logical race on the way back. The 13 draw is a disaster, but there is nothing I can do about it. 

"Irad Ortiz is a first-class rider—the idea is to drop in, save ground, and make one run, and we will see what happens. And, finally, we not only have to beat 13 other horses, we also have to beat the weather. But there's not much we can do about that."

The field not only includes last year's Woodford Stakes Presented by Keeneland Select (G2T) winner, Bucchero, but several others looking to make a return to the winner's circle and land a graded stakes.

Trainer Mark Casse has two entries in graded stakes-placed Commute, co-second choice with Bucchero at odds of 5-1, and stakes-placed Flashaway, who returned to racing in January after being away for over 15 months. The 6-year-old Eskendereya gelding was most recently third in the Colonel Power Overnight Stakes at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots Feb. 17. 

Commute will be making his 6-year-old debut in the Shakertown, but he has not raced since the July 2 Highlander Stakes (G2T) going six furlongs on the Woodbine turf, where he finished third. One start prior, the son of Hold Me Back was the runner-up in the Connaught Cup Stakes (G2T), missing by a nose to Tower of Texas at the same track.

Last year's Kentucky Downs Turf Sprint Stakes (G3T) runner-up Commend will look to give trainer Bill Mott a step in the right direction, after he followed that effort with two sixth-place finishes to end 2017. The 5-year-old War Front  ridgling finished sixth in the Colonel Power Overnight Stakes in his 2018 debut.

Wesley Ward-trained Bound for Nowhere returns to graded company after an off-the-board effort in the Aug. 6 LARC Prix Maurice de Gheest (G1) in Deauville, France. Given the rest of the year off, the son of The Factor  came back to win his 4-year-old debut March 3 at Turfway Park, taking a six-furlong allowance by three-quarters of a length on the synthetic track.

Entries: Shakertown S. (G2T)

Keeneland, Saturday, April 07, 2018, Race 7

• Grade IIT
• 5 1/2f
• Turf
• $200,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 4:35 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Frisky Magician (NY)	Tyler Gaffalione	120	Jorge R. Abreu	50/1
2	2Commute (KY)	Jose Lezcano	120	Mark E. Casse	5/1
3	3Kid Perfect (KY)	Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr.	120	Angel O. Montano, Sr.	50/1
4	4Zapperini (KY)	Adam Beschizza	120	Gregory D. Foley	50/1
5	5Bucchero (IN)	Fernando De La Cruz	122	Tim Glyshaw	5/1
6	6Commend (KY)	Jose L. Ortiz	120	William I. Mott	12/1
7	7Will Call (KY)	Shaun Bridgmohan	120	Brad H. Cox	8/1
8	8Tombelaine (KY)	Julien R. Leparoux	120	Catherine Day Phillips	8/1
9	9Big Handsome (KY)	Florent Geroux	120	Anthony W. Dutrow	6/1
10	10Loose On the Town (ON)	Luis Saez	120	Brian A. Lynch	10/1
11	11Latent Revenge (KY)	Gabriel Saez	120	Gregory D. Foley	30/1
12	12Bound for Nowhere (KY)	Julio A. Garcia	120	Wesley A. Ward	20/1
13	13Disco Partner (NY)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	120	Christophe Clement	5/2
14	14Flashaway (KY)	Corey J. Lanerie	120	Mark E. Casse	20/1
15	15Mooose (KY)	Sonny Leon	120	Luis A. Jurado	50/1
16	16Recruiting Ready (KY)	Tyler Gaffalione	120	Horacio DePaz	50/1