Calculator Cruises To Victory In The Sham Stakes
Calculator’s first win of his career was an easy one in the Grade 3 Sham Stakes. After sitting just a few lengths of the lead Calculator went to the front midway on the far turn under Elvis Trujillo and pulled away in the stretch to win by 4 1/4 lengths.
The race began with St. Joe Bay holding the lead from the rail with Pioneerof The West right off his flank. Just behind those two were Papacoolpapacool, Rock Shandy, and Calculator. The main group was rounded out by Unblunted and Rockinatten. The top 7 were separated by a total of 4 lengths after a quarter of a mile with Hero Ten All last of 8 by 6 1/2 lengths.
The positioning did not change much until the horses were on the far turn. It was then that Calculator made his move to the front. At the same time, Rock Shandy started his move, but he was still sitting in fourth. St. Joe Bay was still in second when the horses hit the stretch, but he was 3 lengths behind Calculator. Rock Shandy was in lockstep with St. Joe Bay while Pioneerof The West was back to fourth. Papacoolpapacool, Hero Ten All, Unblunted, and Rockinatten were fifth, sixth, seventh, and eight, respectively at the stretch call. Those four finished in the same positions.
It was easy going in the final furlong for Calculator as he went on to win by 4 1/4 lengths. Rock Shandy, who was making his first start on dirt, came on to be second with Pioneerof The West re-rallying for 3rd. St. Joe Bay finished fourth.
The final time for the one mile journey was 1:34.88. Calculator is by In Summation out of the Alphabet Soup mare Back To Basics and he is trained by Peter Miller.
Calculator earned 10 points towards the Kentucky Derby Leaderboard for his win, which puts him at 14 total and in a second place tie with Carpe Diem. Rock Shandy, Pioneerof The West, and St. Joe Bay earned 4 points, 2 points, and 1 point respectively. Those were the first points recorded for each horse.
The Road to the Kentucky Derby continues next week with the Lecomte on Saturday, January 17 at the Fair Grounds and the Smarty Jones on Monday, January 17 at Oaklawn Park.