Ascot Hero Shang Shang Shang tops Bolton Landing
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. » Wesley Ward’s Shang Shang Shang (95) is an easy choice as morningline favorite for today’s $100,000 Bolton Landing Stakes, a 5½-furlong turf sprint for 2-year-old fillies. The daughter of 2012 Hopeful winner Shanghai Bobby is coming off a nose win versus males in the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot on June 21. It followed a 2¼-length maiden score at Keeneland on April 26, one month after she was picked up for $200k at the OBS 2-yearold in-training sale in Florida. The Bolton Landing will be Shang Shang Shang’s first start beyond five furlongs.
Drynachan (3-1) was an impressive debut winner here on opening day, coming from off the pace to take a 5½-furlong maiden special weight by two lengths. The New York-bred City Zip filly was purchased for $130k at last year’s Fasig Tipton NY-bred preferred sale here in Saratoga. Chad Brown trains.
Shang Shang Shang is just one of three horses Ward has in the Bolton Landing. His Chelsea Cloisters (7-2) also competed at Royal Ascot, finishing 11th of 22 starters in the Queen Mary Stakes (G2). She followed that effort with a strong runner-up performance in the Prix du Bois (G3) at Deauville. Chelsea Cloisters will also be running beyond five furlongs for the first time.
Ward’s third starter, Stillwater Cove (8-1), ran 13th of 18 in the Albany Stakes (G3), also at Royal Ascot. The daughter of Quality Road had hung on for a nose win in her debut going 4½ furlongs at Keeneland on April 8.
Elsa (5-1) also broke her maiden at first asking on Saratoga’s opening day – but her race took place at Laurel. The Animal Kingdom filly, a Godolphin homebred, won going away by 3 ¾ lengths at the Bolton Landing distance of 5½ furlongs.
Maryland shipper Question of the day (12-1) comes into today’s race off a length-and-a-half score in an opening level allowance at Laurel 13 days ago. Her maiden win came in a maiden claimer on a muddy main track at Pimlico in late May. The Bolton Landing is her first start on turf.
Fightress (15-1) and Avocado Toast (20-1) complete the field of eight.