Shake You Down Making Claim as Top Sprinter

Shake You Down, arguably the best sprinter in the country, will try for his sixth win in a row in today’s $200,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap at Saratoga.

Since being claimed for $65,000 by trainer Scott Lake for owner Robert L. Cole Jr., the 5-year-old Montbrook gelding has not lost.

After winning two allowance races over sloppy surfaces at Aqueduct, Shake You Down stepped into graded stakes company and has continued to succeed. He won the Bold Ruler, a Grade III, and the True North, a Grade II, at Belmont, then shipped to Florida and won the Smile Sprint Handicap, a Grade III, on July 12 at Calder.

A winner of 12 of 31 races, the Florida-bred, who will again be ridden by Mike Luzzi, will be favored in the six-furlong Vanderbilt against six opponents.

The most likely candidates to pull an upset are Mike’s Classic, an improving 4-year-old Seeking The Gold gelding who has won his last two races, and Mountain General.

A late runner trained by Steve Asmussen for owner Keith Asmussen, Mountain General beat Beau’s Town, who won the Bing Crosby at Del Mar two weeks ago, in the Aristides Handicap on June 21 at Churchill Downs.

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Race of the day: Miss Houdini, who has not raced since upsetting Santa Catarina in the 2002 Del Mar Debutante, and Royally Chosen, who has been idle since finishing fifth in the 2002 La Stakes at Santa Anita, return in today’s third, a $59,000 optional claimer, at Del Mar.

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One for the road: Falconer, who is bred for turf, will make his first start on the surface in today’s sixth at Saratoga. The son of Alzao, who is a son of Lyphard, will also be on Lasix for the first time as he debuts for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin. The race is the second leg of a pick six with a carryover of $100,387.

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Exotically speaking: A pick three using Victoria’s Garden, Castlebright and Aussie Girl in the fifth, Victory Girl, Friendly Michelle, Cap Jaluca and Lady Nichola in the sixth and singling Trial By Jury in the seventh.

Winners: Previous day/meet total: 3/30. Money: Previous day/meet total: $15.20/$168.20. Total money bet: $274.