Shackleford advances off Met Mile win

By: SPORTS NETWORK

New York, NY (Sports Network) - Four-year-old colt Shackleford posted a nose victory over Caleb's Posse in Monday's Met Mile and was rewarded in the latest NTRA Thoroughbred Poll. Caleb's Posse also was recognized for his valiant race.

Trained by Dale Romans, Shackleford led the entire way in the Memorial Day feature and was able hold off the late running Caleb's Posse. Voters in the poll moved up last year's Preakness champ six spots from ninth behind Alternation and three-year-old I'll Have Another.

Alternation remains in first with 339 points ahead of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner by 19 points.

Shackleford is third with 296 points and has two wins in four starts this year.

"The more work [Shackleford] does, the better he is," said Romans. "I brought him out a little too soft early in the year. I was too easy on him. We started cranking it up, and it's paid off. The more I do with him, the more he likes it and the better he gets."

Wise Dan fell for the second week in a row from third to fourth with 259 points. His stablemate Successful Dan remains fifth with 216 points followed by Caleb's Posse (159), Bodemeister (128), It's Tricky (103), To Honor and Serve (96) and Mucho Macho Man (84).

I'll Have Another is again a unanimous selection as leading three-year-old. Trained by Doug O'Neill, the colt received all 43 first-place votes for 430 points.

"I think he's maintained his energy level and his stride, and he looks fantastic," said O'Neill. "So he's fit, and we have to stay lucky and stay injury-free and we'll be in great shape."

Owned by J. Paul Reddam, I'll Have Another is at Belmont Park training for the final jewel of racing's Triple Crown the Belmont Stakes on June 9.

Kentucky Derby and Preakness runner-up Bodemeister is second with 387 points, but will not start in the Belmont Stakes.

The next seven positions are unchanged from last week: Creative Cause (300), Dullahan (296), Union Rags (219), Believe You Can (145), Mark Valeski (102), Hansen (81) and Went the Day Well (69).

Entering the Three-Year-Old Poll in 10th is Silver Max with 48 points. The colt won the Arlington Classic on Saturday and has captured his last four starts.