Shake The Yoke Shakes the Field to Win Wilshire

Fiji is not the only top quality grass filly or mare in Southern California.

Starting to fulfill the promise she brought with her when she came over from Europe nearly two years ago, Shake The Yoke demonstrated her talent with a comfortable victory over 14-1 shot Traces Of Gold and seven others in the $110,400 Wilshire Handicap on Saturday at Hollywood Park.

Shake The Yoke, a 7-5 favorite for owner B. Wayne Hughes and trainer Ron Ellis, is a 5-year-old daughter of Caerleon, and she relaxed a few lengths off the moderate pace, then found room at the head of the stretch and went on to win by three lengths in 1:34 for the mile on turf.

It was the fifth win in 15 starts for Shake The Yoke, and she has won two of five since joining Ellis’ barn last year. She has been second in two of those defeats, including a four-length loss to Fiji in the Santa Ana Handicap on March 21.

“She’s really starting to learn what it’s all about here in America,” said Ellis. “She really put it all together, and this one looked like a replay.

“I was worried about her getting through, but I’ve found out that when you’ve got the best horse, they usually find a way to get through those little holes. I just don’t think they have any bigger heart than she does.”

Perhaps another match with Fiji, who won four races and two stakes at Santa Anita, will come in the $250,000 Gamely Breeders’ Cup Handicap on June 7.

“[Shake The Yoke] didn’t have any pace to run at the last time she met Fiji,” said Ellis. “I sure wouldn’t say that we’re a cinch to beat her, but my filly is coming around. I really think she bounced a little [in the Santa Ana]. Fiji has a tactical speed advantage, but this filly showed she likes this turf course and now Fiji has to do the same.”

Traces Of Gold, who set all the pace, finished second, a nose ahead of 12-1 shot Cozy Blues, who was a neck better than 2-1 second choice Dance Parade.

Hardly bothered by having to carry 128 pounds, the highest weight assignment of his 32-race career, Skip Away did the expected in the $750,000 Pimlico Special on Saturday in Baltimore.

The 1-5 favorite against four outclassed opponents, Skip Away, a 5-year-old Skip Trial horse, went right to the front under Jerry Bailey and was never seriously menaced en route to a 3 1/4-length victory over 5-1 second choice Precocity.

Second in his two previous races at Pimlico, including one against Gentlemen in the 1997 Special, Skip Away completed the 1 3/16 miles in 1:54 1/5 over a track labeled good.

Owned by Carolyn Hine and trained by husband Sonny Hine, the Florida-bred has five victories in a row, 14 lifetime and the $450,000 payday pushed his earnings to $7,806,360. That puts him about $2.1 million behind Cigar, the all-time earnings leader.

The upset winner of the Oaklawn Handicap last month for owner John Franks and trainer Bobby Barnett, Precocity was a neck better than Hot Brush. Then came Wagon Limit and Draw.

Skip Away will probably surface next in the Massachusetts Handicap on May 30 at Suffolk Downs, then could come west for the $1-million Hollywood Gold Cup on June 28.

“He’s a great race horse,” said Sonny Hine. “I think he’s going to go down in history as a great horse. He deserves it. He’s just a special horse.”

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Second in the Jim Beam and Derby Trial in his last two races, Yarrow Brae finally became a stakes winner Saturday with a victory in the $500,000 Illinois Derby at Sportsman’s Park in Chicago.

Ridden by Willie Martinez for owners Mrs. John Magnier and Michael Tabor and trained by Wayne Lukas, the Deputy Minister colt and 6-1 shot took the lead with about an eighth of a mile to run and edged clear late to win by three-quarters of a length in 1:51 1/5 for the 1 1/8 miles.

Orville N Wilbur’s, the 7-2 second choice, set the pace and crossed under the wire second, but was disqualified and placed third for bothering One Bold Stroke, who was moved up to second, in deep stretch. Corey Nakatani was aboard Orville N Wilbur’s.

Souvenir Copy, the 2-1 favorite, faded to seventh under David Flores.

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A winner of four of seven races on the turf in Italy, Special Nash is the 2-1 favorite to make a successful U.S. debut in the $100,000 Will Rogers Handicap today at Hollywood Park.

Trained by Ron McAnally for owners Al and Sandee Kirkwood, the Irish-bred Special Nash won a Group II race in his last start at Capanelle last Nov. 16. He has trained well for the one-mile Rogers and will race on Lasix for the first time. Chris McCarron will ride.

Commitisize is the 5-2 second choice. He won the La Puente Stakes at the Rogers distance last month and worked in 1:24 3/5 prepping for this.

Others in the field, from the rail out, are English import Rico Suave, Old Topper, Magical, Outsourcing, Lord Smith, Miramar and Son’s Corona. Futuristic was scratched Saturday morning.