First stakes winner for Mshawish as son Sainthood handles the Belmont Park slop

The former Mikel Delzangles-trained Mshawish, whose victories while trained in France included the Listed Prix de Tourgeville and Group 2 Zabeel Mile, had his first stakes winner on Saturday when son Sainthood took out the Pennine Ridge Stakes at Belmont Park.

Mshawish went on to greater heights once transferred by racing owner Al Shaqab to Todd Pletcher in the US, winning the Grade 1 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap and Grade 1 Donn Handicap at the same track, a race that essentially became the Pegasus World Cup.

The Grade 2 Pennine Ridge was switched from the turf track at Belmont to a sloppy main track but the Pletcher-trained Sainthood bounced back from a down-the-field run in the Kentucky Derby to take the honours for WinStar Farm and China Horse Club.

The colt had been due to tackle the turf for the first time, having won on his second start at Fair Grounds on a fast dirt track in February, with his other run coming when he was a length second in the Grade 3 Jeff Ruby Steaks Stakes on the synthetic surface at Turfway Park.

The victory was a landmark for his sire, who himself is by Medaglia D’Oro out of Thunder Gulch mare Thunder Bayou, though he had been knocking on the door, with Arabian Prince, Igloo and Taylor Avenue going close in stakes company for the Taylor Made stallion, who stands for $7,500 this year.

Ridden by Joel Rosario, Sainthood was sent off favourite and prevailed by a length from The Reds, with Shawdyshawdyshawdy five lengths adrift in third.

Future plans for Sainthood include the Grade 1 Belmont Derby. He was a $62,000 Ocala yearling purchase and is out of Listed-placed Lemon Drop Kid mare Lemon Hero, who is a half-sister to stakes winner Saint Gold.

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