Flying Dutchmen Breeding and Racing's Shred the Gnar may have been racing over the Churchill Downs dirt rather than the snow or waves, but she still showed her skill and speed as she raced to victory in the $300,000 Chilukki Stakes (G3) Nov. 15.
The 3-year-old daughter of Into Mischief had shown promise since the start of her career. The $610,000 purchase from the 2023 edition of The Saratoga Sale, Fasig-Tipton's select yearling sale, debuted with a neck defeat before winning her next two starts by a combined 13 1/2 lengths. However, a sore upper suspensory caused her to scratch from the June 6 Acorn Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course.
Trainer Brian Lynch and Flying Dutchmen president Hunter Rankin both noted that it was a tall task to ask Shred the Gnar to return from a six-month layoff at a demanding one-turn mile, not to mention facing older stakes horses, but she was up to the challenge.
“She’s always trained like she’s loaded with talent,” Lynch said. “She’s a gifted filly. Absolutely over the moon with how she ran.”
Breaking sharply beneath Luis Saez, she set quick fractions of :22.97 and :45.48 with One Magic Philly in pursuit.
The pair continued their battle into the stretch, but the younger Shred the Gnar had more in the tank and kicked away again for a 2 3/4-length score in 1:34.84. The race favorite, Ragtime, closed from last to be third.
Shred the Gnar paid $7.20 to win.
The winner's circle was joyous as they welcomed in their filly, several connections wearing snow goggles with "SHRED" written on them. The future looks bright as Lynch plans to take her south for the winter to Florida with the goal of returning to Kentucky to run in the La Troienne Stakes (G1) at Churchill Downs May 1.
"She's just really special," Rankin said. "She seems like when she gets into that rhythm, she's better. She can really run them off their feet."
Shred the Gnar joined Tampa Bay Derby (G3) winner Owen Almighty as graded winners for Flying Dutchmen, which was started by Dutch Bros. founder Travis Boersma. A daughter of the unraced Bernardini mare Aspen Light, she is a full sister to multiple grade 3 winner and multiple grade 1-placed Owendale.
"She has such a great pedigree already; now she's making her own," Rankin said. "She's going to be with us for a very long time. It's hard to find fillies like this or horses like this. We're blessed by it."
Video: Chilukki S. Presented by Resolute Racing (G3)
