By Steve Sherack
'TDN Rising Star' Lady Shipman (Midshipman)–currently being aimed at the $1-million G1 Al Quoz Sprint on the G1 Dubai World Cup program at Meydan Mar. 26–will be transferred to the barn of Kiaran McLaughlin for her 4-year-old season, according to owner/breeder Randy Lowe.
A painful second, beaten only a neck, against older males in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Keeneland Oct. 31, the six-time stakes winner was previously campaigned by Kathleen O'Connell.
“I thought that he was the best trainer with the experience to go to Dubai with,” revealed Lowe, a retired insurance executive, while in the midst of relocating to Las Vegas. “He's an awfully good trainer.”
McLaughlin topped the standings at the now defunct Nad al Sheba three times earlier in his career before returning to the United States in 2003. The former assistant to Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas campaigned Horse of the Year Invasor (Arg) (Candy Stripes) to wins in the 2006 GI Breeders' Cup Classic and 2007 Dubai World Cup. McLaughlin won Grade I races with Cavorting (Bernardini), Frosted (Tapit) and Wedding Toast (Street Sense) in 2015.
“I don't think we've tapped into her full abilities yet,” Lowe continued. “No disrespect to Kathleen in any such way, but I think sometimes you've got to look beyond the box. We have given the horse a break since the Breeders' Cup and I thought if we were ever going to make a trainer change that now was the time to do it.”
Lady Shipman, who lowered Saratoga's Mellon turf course record for 5 1/2 furlongs against older fillies and mares in the Smart N Fancy S. last summer, is slated to join McLaughlin's South Florida string by the first of the new year. Currently in training with Ryan Barbazon at Stroud's Lane Farm in Ocala, the chestnut will likely return in the five-furlong $75,000 Ladies Turf Sprint S. at Gulfstream Park Feb. 6.
Lowe added that Lady Shipman's dam Sumthingtotalkabt (Mutakddim), currently in foal to Poseidon's Warrior, will be bred to Pioneerof the Nile in 2016. Her soon-to-be 2-year-old by Leroidesanimaux (Brz) will be offered at the Fasig-Tipton March Sale.
“I'm very excited to watch her run again,” Lowe concluded. “She's training with as much enthusiasm as she did before. Of all the 30 years I've been around racehorses, including when [former mentor] John Mabee had horses like Best Pal and General Meeting, I can now understand how excited he was. This is something I've only dreamed about achieving, and to actually experience it, is in a whole world of its own.”
Click here for a recent feature on Lowe and Lady Shipman prior to the Breeders' Cup.
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