Multiple grade 1-placed, grade 2 winner Shancelot launched his freshman sire year in blazing fashion by getting his first winner with his first starter April 11 at Keeneland.
Perfect Shances delivered the milestone win in a 4 1/2-furlong maiden special weight on a sloppy sealed track that the filly took in gate-to-wire fashion by 4 3/4 lengths with jockey Walter Rodriguez. The final time was :52.86.
Wesley Ward trains the filly for owner/breeders Al and Michelle Crawford, who race as Crawford Farms Racing.
Perfect Shances is the first foal out of the Bayern mare American Baby, who is out of the multiple graded-placed stakes winner Sweet Marini (Marino Marini). American Baby is a full sister to 2022 Colleen Stakes winner Sweet Harmony.
The Crawfords also raced Shancelot with Gelfenstein Farm after he was acquired for $245,000 at the 2018 Ocala Breeders' March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale. He went on to compile a 3-2-1 record from six starts, winning the 2019 Amsterdam Stakes (G2) by 12 1/2 lengths and earning a career-high 122 Equibase Speed Figure. He also placed second in that year's Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) after setting early fractions of :21.47, :44.04, and :56.19, was second in Santa Anita Sprint Championship Stakes (G1), and finished third in the H. Allen Jerkens Stakes (G1).
The son of Shanghai Bobby retired with a tendon injury in 2021 and now stands at Doug Arnold's Buck Pond Farm in Versailles, Ky., for $5,000.
