Shotshell Wins $50K Prairie Meadows Qualifying Race for Claiming Crown

Photo by Jack Coady/Coady Photography

Cecil Peters’ Shotshell rolled to a front-running 7 1/2-length victory in Friday night’s $50,000 Kent Stirling Memorial Iron Horse Claiming Crown Prep at Prairie Meadows, receiving an automatic berth in the corresponding Claiming Crown race Nov. 16 at Churchill Downs.

Trainer Jose Gonzalez, in his first year racing at Prairie Meadows after many years in New Mexico, said his plan is to send the 4-year-old Shotshell to the 1 1/16-mile Claiming Crown Iron Horse, which like Friday’s race is for horses that have raced at least once for an $8,000 claiming price or cheaper during their career.

“He’s an awesome horse for us,” Gonzalez said. “We’re just blessed to have him. Thanks to the owner for giving us the opportunity. If he comes back healthy and safe, the Claiming Crown will be the plan. Obviously we had this race circled, and it worked out. So we’re pretty blessed.”

The Claiming Crown, created by the National HBPA and the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA), was created in 1999 to provide claiming horse owners and trainers their own version of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships. The multi-race program gives thoroughbred racing’s workhorses a day in the spotlight in recognition of their importance to filling out race cards across the nation.

The Claiming Crown prep was staged in conjunction with the National HBPA Conference held in Prairie Meadows’ event center. In addition to Shotshell, the Tim Martin-trained runner-up Cost Basis and third-place Ember (trained by Matt Williams) also secured a spot in the Claiming Crown’s Kent Stirling Memorial Iron Horse if their connections so choose. Final purses haven’t been determined, but the Iron Horse purse will be at least $100,000.

Gonzalez applauded Prairie Meadows and its horsemen for staging a Claiming Crown prep with a big purse.

“It’s a great opportunity,” he said. “Great for the owner, great for the fans, great for a small stable like us, so we’re very grateful. We’re a family operation, my wife and three kids, and we all work together.”

Shotshell, who is a son of Horse of the Year Gun Runner and out of a Tapit mare, became eligible for the Iron Horse when he ran in a “non-winners of two” race for $5,000 claimers last December at Turfway. He’s been claimed four times, the last for $7,500 by Peters on Feb. 9. After racing in Texas, Shotshell was sent to Gonzalez and now is 2-for-3 with a second for his new barn.

Gonzalez is hoping Shotshell gives him his first starter ever at Churchill Downs.

“It would be an honor for us to go to the granddaddy of them all,” he said.

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