Basin Outbattles Frosted Grace Sir Shackleton

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Jackpot Farm’s Basin outbattled a game Frosted Grace to win Saturday’s $100,000 Sir Shackleton Stakes Presented by New Holland at Gulfstream Park.

Making his second start for current trainer Todd Pletcher, Basin broke from post 7 under Jose Ortiz as the 3/2 favorite and settled into a mid-pack stalking position outside of Yodel E. A. Who.

Frosted Grace raced on the front end between Cool Arrow to his outside and the rail-hugging Shivaree through opening fractions of :22.55 and :45.03 before Frosted Grace poked his head in front midway through the far turn and straightened for home with a length advantage.

Basin launched a wide bid off the far turn while inside of Town Classic and caught Frosted Grace in mid-stretch. Basin took a tiny lead at the 1/16 pole and fought his way forward between rivals to win the 7-furlong fast dirt sprint by a 1/2-length in 1:23.19.

“He broke well, but they went a little bit fast and I felt like I was rushing him off his feet, so I decided to relax a little bit at the 5/8 pole and sit behind Cool Arrow,” Ortiz said. “It worked out nice. I had to grind it out, but when the horse came to his outside, he dug in. Close to the wire, the horse inside came out, too, and that helped him find another gear. He was very game. It was a very game performance.”

Frosted Grace saved second by a 1/2-length over Town Classic, who was only lightly urged along in the stretch under rider Irad Ortiz Jr., brother of the winning jockey.

Yodel E. A. Who, Shivaree, Letmeno, and Cool Arrow completed the order of finish. Hauntedbythemusic scratched.

Basin’s win was his third at the stakes ranks following the 2019 Hopeful (G1) and the 2020 Arkansas Derby (G1), the latter coming after the original winner was disqualified due to a positive drug test. The 4-year-old Liam’s Map colt improved his record to 9-4-2-1 with $763,260 earned.

“He’s a quality horse,” Pletcher said. “He trains really well. We felt like he was just ready. We didn’t want to go over the top for the first one back. We cut it close, but we had him ready to get the job done today. I think he’ll move forward from the race.”

Basin returned $5 to win, $3.80 to place, and $2.60 to show. Frosted Grace brought back $6.20 to place and $3.80 to show. Town Classic paid $4 to show.