The Legacy of Shackleford and Stay Thirsty

Shackleford

– Starts and WPS: (20) 6-5-1

– Earnings: $3,090,101

– Winner of the 2011 Preakness

– Three time Grade 1 winner

– Won races spanning from seven furlongs to a mile and three sixteenths

– Raced at 10 different race tracks, and won at 4 of them

– Ran in all three of the triple crown races in 2011

– Career Summary: When you think of Shackleford there is one word that always comes to mind…Heart.  Shackleford gave you his best every time he stepped onto the track, which is one of the highest complements you can ever give a horse.  His win in the 2011 Preakness was the greatest example of his determination to win.  He was also involved in perhaps the most exciting race of the year in 2012 when he held off a furious late charge from Caleb’s Posse to win the Met Mile.  He’ll exit racing as one of the best three-year olds in class of 2011, and as one of the top five older horses of 2012.

Stay Thirsty

– Starts and WPS: (17) 5-5-1

– Earnings: $1,936,000

– Winner of the 2011 Travers Stakes

– Two time Grade 1 Winner

– Won races spanning from six furlongs to one and one-fourth mile

– Raced in the 2011 Kentucky Derby and Belmont

– Grade 1 placed three times

– Career Summary: It’s always nice in sports to say that your greatest moment came in your final game, or in the case of Stay Thirsty, you final race.  Stay Thirsty ran the race of his life in his final appearance, gunning down the fantastic filly Groupie Doll right at the wire to win the Cigar Mile.  It was his second Grade 1 victory, and cemented his legacy as one we will always remember.  His other Grade 1 victory came in the 2011 Travers.  He also won the Grade 2 Jim Dandy that year, giving him a sweep of the Saratoga three-year old races.  Stay Thirsty never won outside of the state of New York, but will always be remembered for being tough to handle inside the friendly confines of the Empire State.