There was a lot of buzz surrounding the fourth race Dec. 26 at Santa Anita Park. The $67,000 maiden special weight for 3-year-olds and up drew an elite field of maidens comprised of Spendthrift's Q B One, a Richard Mandella-trained son of the brilliant race mare Beholder, and the duo of Hopkins and Shaaz from the Bob Baffert barn, both of whom had been lighting up the morning work tab at Santa Anita.
Off a step slow from the gate, Shaaz settled into midpack early as the highly-touted Hopkins rolled to take command, racing an opening quarter in a blistering :21.99. Under jockey John Velasquez, Shaaz steadily advanced on the leaders past a :45.01 half-mile and loomed four wide around on the bend. Setting his sights on his stablemate down the lane, Shaaz cut into Hopkin's lead, surging past that foe in the final strides despite failing to change leads through the stretch run.
Shaaz, a half length in front of Hopkins at the wire, clocked the 6 1/2 furlongs in a snappy 1:16.11 on a fast main track. The 1-2 betting favorite, he paid $3.00.
Q B One finished sixth in his debut.
A 3-year-old son of Uncle Mo, Shaaz topped the sale at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sale when he sold for $1.1 million to Michael Lund Peterson. Shaaz was bred in Virginia by the William M. Backer Revocable Trust and is out of the winning Mineshaft mare Miss Ocean City, who also produced Azar, the winner in the 2015 With Anticipation Stakes (G2T).
