New Journeyman Van Dyke Wins at Santa Anita

Less than a week after earning an Eclipse Award as North America's top apprentice jockey, Drayden Van Dyke collected his first win as a journeyman Jan. 23 with Irish-bred Ernest Shackleton at Santa Anita Park .



Ernest Shackleton sat a close third early and ran gamely late to win Friday's $58,000 allowance feature by a half length, covering one mile on turf in 1:36.16. Without Van Dyke's weight allowance, Ernest Shackleton toted top weight of 122 pounds in a field of eight sophomores in the first-level optional claiming event.



When asked how it felt to get his first win on his initial day riding as a journeyman, Van Dyke responded simply, "It feels great."



Trained by Doug O'Neill, Ernest Shackleton wheeled three-wide turning for home to notch his first stateside win. The victory followed a non-threatening seventh-place performance in his U.S. debut, the one mile turf Eddie Logan Stakes at Santa Anita Dec. 27.



"I thought Drayden rode a perfect race, he rode like a journeyman," said O'Neill. "I just told him this horse has 'Euro-tactical' speed, which means you want to get him covered up, but keep after him. When he saw daylight, he came running.



"As far as Drayden is concerned, I really think he's a lot like Shoemaker," the trainer added. "He's small, light and he's very quiet, on the horses he rides and with the people (he deals with). I sure wish him the best."



Off as second choice at 2-1, Ernest Shackleton paid $6.60, $3.80 and $3.00, following a claim of foul for interference in deep stretch from Elvis Trujillo, who rode the second place-finisher Verraco.



"We did come out a little bit, we might have come out a path, but that's about it," said Van Dyke, who turned 20 in September. 



Owned by R3 Racing, Cahill, Keh and partners, Ernest Shackleton got his second win from six starts.