SHIN BROOK Challenge Stakes

After three straight weeks of the betting favorite winning the Vermont feature, GREY STORMY DAY surprised the ‘experts’ by winning the $65,0000 SHIN BROOK Challenge Stakes Saturday. One half of the hills stable two-horse entry, the 4-year-old went off at 12/1 and paid $26.80, $11.80 and $6.20 to the fortunate few who backed him. His winning time for a mile and five-sixteenths on the firm turf course of 2:09 4/5 earned him a lifetime best SP rating of 101. 

The early pace was set as anticipated by MAD AXE MAN II, who immediately jumped to the lead from the break and stayed there until the final stretch before fading to finish fourth. ANIMAL INSTICT applied continuous pressure throughout from a couple lengths back, moving up to briefly take the lead on the front stretch before being overtaken by the two late closers.  True to form, GREY STORMY DAY immediately fell to the rear at the start and trailed the leaders by 16 lengths at the half way point and was still 10 lengths back as they hit the front stretch.  After riding along nicely in midpack, GREENMANTLE began to make his expected run coming out of the last corner and managed to overtake the fading leaders in the stretch.  But he was unable to hold off the furious and truly impressive late run of GREY STORMY DAY, who got up just in time to win at the wire by a half-length over GREENMANTLE, with ANIMAL INSTINCT holding on gamely for third.

FREAKISH PEDRO attempted to go with the leaders early, but quickly faltered to finish well back and last.  BRIGADIER ROCK, THE TWO and STAR POTENTIAL never got going and were never in the top half of the field.

This was the first stakes win for the son of DAYLAMI, pushing his lifetime earnings to $182,036 for owner hills.  L L Ahrens was the winning jockey, becoming the fourth feature-winning rider in the last four weeks at Vermont.

Next week’s feature at Vermont will feature 4-year-olds and up going a mile on the turf in the $60,000 SECRET RIVER Memorial.