William Peeples' Spirit of Shanghai became the first winner for Shanghai Bobby when she took a maiden claiming race for juvenile fillies at Santa Anita Park June 18 by a length.
The John Brocklebank trainee was sent off as the 6-5 favorite in her debut Sunday. She broke slowly under jockey Edwin Maldonado in the five-furlong test, but quickly caught up to We Will Re Joyce at the front of the seven-horse field. Into the stretch, Maldonado kept the filly to task as she extended her lead to one length at the wire. The final time over the fast track was :59.13.
Bred by Gil Masters out of the Tiznow mare Yamato Damashii, Spirit of Shanghai was a $72,000 purchase by her trainer at the 2016 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky fall yearling sale. She was an $80,000 RNA at the Barretts' March 2-year-old sale.
Shanghai Bobby won all five of his starts as a juvenile in 2012, including the Foxwoods Champagne Stakes (G1) and the Grey Goose Breeders' Cup Juvenile, before being named that year's champion juvenile. Coolmore Stud bought into the son of Harlan's Holiday before the 2012 Breeders' Cup. As a 3-year-old, he finished second in the Holy Bull Stakes (G3) and won the Aljamin Stakes but sustained a suspensory injury.
He retired to Ashford Stud with six wins and one second from eight starts, with earnings of more than $1.8 million.
Shanghai Bobby stood for a 2017 fee of $25,000.