ARCADIA, Calif. (AP) Ernest Shackleton won the $58,000 feature for 3-year-olds by a half-length Friday at Santa Anita, giving Eclipse Award-winning jockey Drayden Van Dyke his first victory as a journeyman.
The Ireland-bred ran one mile on the turf in 1:36.16 and paid $6.60, $3.80 and $3. The winner withstood a foul claim for interference in the deep stretch by Elvis Trujillo, who rode second-place Verraco.
The 20-year-old Van Dyke recently won an Eclipse Award as the nation's top apprentice rider. As a journeyman, he no longer gets to carry less weight than his competition.
Verraco returned $5 and $4.20, while Dynamite Ride was another 1 3/4 lengths back in third and paid $5.40 to show.
Even-money favorite Willing to Travel stumbled at the break and finished fifth.
Trained by Doug O'Neill, Ernest Shackleton won for the first time in the U.S. after finishing seventh in the Eddie Logan Stakes in his American debut on Dec. 27.
The victory, worth $34,800, increased Ernest Shackleton's career earnings to $53,018, with two wins in six starts.
