Richter Scale Breeders' Cup Sprint Championship H. (gr. II)
(gr. II , 7f ,)
SIR SHACKLETON
(CH h,
116
lb) $120,000
Miswaki —Naskra Colors , by
Star de Naskra
B—Tracy Farmer,
KY.;
O—Tracy Farmer;
T—Nicholas P. Zito
Lion Tamer
(CH h,
119
lb) $40,000
Will's Way —Tippecanoe Creek , by
Olympio
B—Paul Smith,
KY.;
O—Michael B. Tabor;
T—Todd A. Pletcher
Clock Stopper
(CH g,
117
lb) $22,000
Gilded Time —Great Fun , by
Farma Way
B—David Hochberg,
KY.;
O—Overbrook Farm;
T—Dallas Stewart
Margins: 1½, neck, 2. Others: Silver Wagon 115($12,000) , Sir Oscar 114($6,000) , Built Up 113 . Winning Jockey, Javier Castellano.
Tracy Farmer’s homebred Sir Shackleton, sent out as the co-favorite with Lion Tamer in Gulfstream’s $200,000 Richter Scale Breeders’ Cup Sprint Championship Handicap (gr. II), drew clear of Lion Tamer for a 11/2-length score in his 2005 stakes debut. Nick Zito conditions the 4-year-old son of Miswaki for Farmer, who watched his chestnut colt notch graded scores in 2004 in the Derby Trial Stakes (gr. III) and West Virginia Derby (gr. III).
The well-traveled Sir Shackleton has raced on eight different tracks in his 11 starts. The only track at which he has made more than one start is Gulfstream, where he has recorded three of his six wins.
Farmer—who with Zito campaigned 2004 Sir Barton Stakes winner Royal Assault and 2000 Jockey Club Gold Cup (gr. I) winner Albert the Great—is the lessee of picturesque Shadowlawn Farm, a division of Three Chimneys Farm near Midway, Ky., where he keeps his broodmare band.
A diversified businessman with holdings in car dealerships, banking, and commercial real estate, Farmer bred Sir Shackleton out of the 13-year-old grade I stakes-placed Star de Naskra mare Naskra Colors, a Kentucky-bred earner of $411,437.
Farmer purchased Naskra Colors privately and has bred all of her offspring, beginning in 2000 with the Unbridled filly Unbridled Colors, who placed at age three for Farmer.
Star de Naskra, champion sprinter in the United States in 1979, won the grade II Carter and Whitney Handicaps, and is also the broodmare sire of 2004 NetJets Breeders’ Cup Mile (gr. IT) winner Singletary.
In 2005, after producing two consecutive fillies by Albert the Great, Naskra Colors foaled a colt by Deputy Commander, a stallion in whom Farmer currently owns a share.
Farmer, in the hunt for this year’s classics, purchased 3-year-old, Zito-trained Sun King as a yearling for $400,000 at the 2003 Keeneland January horses of all ages sale from the consignment of James D. Conway, agent.
Miswaki is the sire of Sir Shackleton and 97 additional stakes winners, including Miss Confusion, winner of the Sweetheart Stakes at Delta Downs on Feb. 26. Pensioned from stud duty at Walmac Farm in August of last year, Miswaki was euthanized in December because of the infirmities of old age at 26.—P.S.
