October 6, 2012, Champagne Stakes horse race for USA Today
Shanghai Bobby wins Champagne Stakes at Belmont
Adam Coglianese, NYRA via AP
Shanghai Bobby, seen here Sept. 3, earned 10 points in the new "Road to the Kentucky Derby" system.
ELMONT, N.Y. — Shanghai Bobby earned a spot in the "Win and You're In" Breeders' Cup Challenge races by claiming the one-mile, Grade 1 $400,000 Foxwoods Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park on Saturday.
In doing so, the horse also picked up 10 points in the newly-created "Road to the Kentucky Derby" system that will help determine the field for the Run for the Roses.
Shanghai Bobby, the 8-5 favorite, rated just off the early pace set by Goldencents, ran by him at the quarter pole and won by five lengths. Goldencents finished second to earn four points, and Fortify was third for two points. Archwarrior was fourth for one point. Shanghai Bobby paid $5.30.
"(We) got 10 points," Jack Wolf, managing partner of Starlight Stables, said. "This was such a great field. You could (have made) a case for any of the horses in here and I'm proud of how the horse performed against this bunch."
"(Shanghai Bobby's) shown the adaptability to stalk and yet he has the tactical speed to keep the pressure on someone (to keep) them from getting loose," trainer Todd Pletcher said. "He's tenacious. He has all of the tools. The one thing we felt Shanghai Bobby had going for him coming into the race was seasoning."
The new points system is based on accumulation spanning 185 races worldwide. There are 14 races remaining in the Kentucky Derby Prep Season. The next race in the Derby Prep Season is the Grey Stakes at Woodbine on Sunday.
The Kentucky Derby Championship Series will take place after the Prep Season concludes in February. The Championship Series is 17 races spanning 10 weeks. The horses that accumulate the most points over those races will make up the field of the 139th Kentucky Derby.
"The fact that we (didn't) have points (prior to the Champagne), I don't (care)," Wolf said. "We'll talk to Todd (about the Breeders' Cup) and see how (Shanghai Bobby) comes out.
"We'll take our time and decide."
http://m.usatoday.com/article/news/1617281?preferredArticleViewMode=single
posted by Denis P. Gorman at 3:55 PM
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