Winning her heat in good time at the official 2yo trials saw the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained Too Darn Hot filly Shiki jump away the race favourite in Saturday’s $250,000 Group 3 Keeneland Gimcrack Stakes (1000m), a race she duly won with a fighting performance.
Going forward from the middle of the line under Tim Clark, the Kurrinda Bloodstock and partners raced filly took up the running with Better Off Alone (Better Than Ready) on her outside while the leader was being tracked by stablemate Home Invasion (Home Affairs).
As the home turned was reached, Shiki still maintained her lead, while the John Thompson trained Screen Icon (Nicconi) was starting to make up good ground after wide passage.
With Screen Icon starting to produce some quick sectionals, Shiki was still in front, but the runs where coming from Masvingo (Zoustar) and Oh Yes She Did (Yes Yes Yes), who were the last two turning for home.
When the line was reached, Shiki had her head down to record a narrow victory from the long-priced Screen Icon who tried extremely hard, while the runs of Masvingo into third and Oh Yes She Did into fourth were both also very good.
Bred by Cornerstone Stud Farm Pty Ltd and Millar Racing, Shiki was initially offered at the Inglis Weanling Sale where she was secured for $150,000 by Riverstone Lodge and Suman Hedge Bloodstock.
The filly was then reoffered at the Magic Millions yearling sale where she was knocked down to Kurrinda Bloodstock and Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Racing for $420,000 from the draft of Riverstone Lodge.
Shiki is one of two winners, and the first stakes winners from three to races from the Exceed And Excel mare Jest Excel, herself a half-sister to the Group 2 Maribyrnong Plate winner Jiang – Blue Genes (HK).
Just Excel produced a filly by Ole Kirk the following season after Shiki and is due to foal this season to multiple Group 1 winner Artorius in his second season at stud.
Shiki became the 28th stakes winner for Too Darn Hot (GB), headed in Australia by his multiple Group 1-winning son Broadsiding, who is standing his first season this year at $66,000 (inc. GST), alongside his sire who is standing this season at a fee of $275,000 (inc. GST) at Darley Kelvinside.
