Shanghai Bobby (right): won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile last year
PICTURE: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)Shanghai Bobby beaten at Gulfstream Park
Report: USA, Saturday
Gulfstream Park: Holy Bull Stakes (Grade 3) 1m½f, dirt, 3yo
KENTUCKY Derby favourite Shanghai Bobby forfeited his unbeaten record as Itsmyluckyday (Eddie Plesa/Elvis Trujillo) broke the track record by three-fifths of a second to lower the colours of the Breeders' Cup winner.
Itsmyluckyday, runaway winner of the Gulfstream Park Derby on January 1, drew away to score by two lengths in a time of 1m41.81s in the $400,000 event.
Shanghai Bobby, making his seasonal debut, was sent off even-money favourite and made the lead from his inside post, albeit under pressure from outsider Clearly Now.
Itsmyluckyday, who raced in third, was produced in the stretch and Shanghai Bobby could not withstand him.
"Words can't describe it," said Florida-based trainer Eddie Plesa, who is now firmly on the Triple Crown trail. The Florida Derby is next.
"It's something everybody should feel," added Plesa." Anybody in this game deserves to have this feeling. I wish them all to have this feeling sometime."
Shanghai Bobby's trainer Todd Pletcher expects better next time. "The winner was very good today," he said. "We were second best. We got a good trip and didn't expect to break the track record by three-fifths of a second in order to win."
Also on Saturday
Gulfstream Park: Forward Gal Stakes (Grade 2) 7f, dirt, 3yo fillies
Better news here for Todd Pletcher as Kauai Katie (John Velazquez) won her third Grade 2 contest, making all before cruising home by more than five lengths over a solid field.
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