BY BROCK SHERIDAN

Florida-bred Seminole Chief stalked co-favored Encino through the first six furlongs before engaging the 2-1 second choice in the second turn then prevailing to win by three-quarters of a length in the $102,500 Jonathan B. Shuster Memorial (Listed) at Horseshoe Indianapolis Saturday. Let go at 14-1, Seminole Chief and jockey Junior Alvarado were the best of ten 4-year-olds and older who went a mile-and-a-sixteenth on the grass.

The out-of-state stakes victory also earns breeders Brad and Misty Grady of Grandview, Texas a $4,000 Export Incentive check paid by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association.

Owned by Bradley R. Grady and David Grund, Seminole Chief raced a length off Encino and jockey Axel Concepcion through quarter-mile fractions of :22.66, :47.09 before taking on the Godolphin homebred midway around the second turn. Seminole Chief stuck a head in front approaching the quarter pole as Higgins Boat and Clever Mischief joined the fight on the outside before Encino fought back to take a narrow lead again in the run for home. Seminole Chief and Encino pulled away from the pack in the lane and went head and head until the final sixteenth when Seminole Chief got the advantage while finishing in 1:40.16 on the firm turf. Baby Max rallied late to get second, a neck in front of 2-1 favorite Wadsworth in third. Encino finished another neck back in fourth followed by Vote No, Clever Mischief, Higgins Boat, Noises Off, Judge Davis and Balnikhov (Ire).

Seminole Chief paid $30.60 to win.

Coming out of a victory against $75,000 claimers going a mile on the turf at Churchill Downs on June 17, Seminole Chief was making his second start for trainer Joe Sharp. It was his third career stakes victory having won last year’s $158,000 Appleton (Listed) on the Gulfstream Park grass in March and the $300,000 In Reality division of the FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes on dirt in 2023.

Seminole Chief has now won seven of 17 lifetime starts with a second and two thirds with earnings of $551,803. By Girvin out of Secret Song, by Dunkirk, Seminole Chief was a $80,000 purchase by HND Bloodstock at the 2023 Ocala Breeders’ Sales June Sale of 2-year-olds in training and horses of racing age.

Secret Song has five winners from six starters and eight foals with Seminole Chief her only stakes horse. She has an unnamed 2-year-old filly and an unnamed yearling colt, both by Girvin. Secret Song is a half-sister to stakes-producer Island Love Song.

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