Shoplifted gave a very good account of himself in the $350,000 Runhappy Hopeful S. (G1) Monday at Saratoga, rallying strongly from last to finish second in the first stakes outing for the 2-year-old colt owned by Grandview Equine, Cheyenne Stables, LLC and LNJ Foxwoods.
Breaking from the inside post in the field of six, Shoplifted took back to last as he seemed to struggle a bit at the outset with the sloppy racetrack. About eight lengths back after a quarter-mile, he made up a couple lengths on the turn, then found his best stride in the stretch to finish second to fellow Steve Asmussen trainee Basin, who was much closer to the pace early on.
“Shoplifted spun his wheels coming out of there and it took a while for him to get his feet under him, (but he really came running).” Asmussen said.
A son of 2019’s leading sire Into Mischief, Shoplifted is 1-1-0 in his two starts and has earned $119,500.
Asmussen said plans for the bay colt’s next race would be mapped out in a week or two.