Owner-trainer Doodnauth Shivmangal celebrated a milestone day on Sunday at Belmont Park when his two-year-old colt Shkspeare Shaliyah rallied four wide in midstretch to post a one-length score in the $100,000 Pilgrim Stakes (G3) at Belmont Park.

Shkspeare Shaliyah’s win gave Shivmangal his first stakes victory as a trainer, and afterward the conditioner dedicated the win to his ill sister and to his granddaughter, for whom Shkspeare Shaliyah is named.

Shkspeare Shaliyah also became the first stakes winner for freshman sire Shakespeare, who stood the 2011 season for an advertised fee of $10,000 at William Schettine’s Signature Stallions in Reddick, Florida. Shakespeare won seven of eight career starts, including two Grade 1 stakes.

Shkspeare Shaliyah settled in last on the backstretch as Captain Webb led the six-horse field through an opening half-mile in :55.41. Despite setting a leisurely pace, Captain Webb was unable to spurt away at the top of the stretch and was joined in midstretch by Kitten’s Kid along the rail and Shkspeare Shaliyah and 1.75-to-1 favorite Fantastic Song on the outside for an exciting finish.

The four juveniles battled gamely through the stretch, but Shkspeare Shaliyah proved best in the final strides under a strong hand ride from jockey Alex Solis. The colt covered 1 1/16 miles in 1:51.59 on soft turf.

“This is a very special horse—he has a tremendous turn of foot,” Solis said. “I had him relaxed in the first part of the race behind the speed. When I got him to the top of the stretch and asked him, he finished really strong.”

Kitten’s Kid edged Fantastic Song by a nose for second. Morning-line favorite and With Anticipation Stakes (G2) winner State of Play was scratched by trainer Graham Motion.

Shkspeare Shaliyah overcame a slow start in his career debut to finish third of 11 at Saratoga Race Course on August 27. He then broke his maiden at Belmont on September 18 despite breaking slowly again. The quick turnaround to Sunday proved beneficial to Shkspeare Shaliyah, who now sports a record of two wins in three starts, all at 1 1/16 miles, and earnings of $96,700.

“The longer the races get, the more my horse wants to go,” Shivmangal said. “We refused a lot of money for this horse but we didn’t sell him because we bought him for my granddaughter and there is no amount of money that can by this horse.

“He is definitely headed to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G2) [on November 5 at Churchill Downs].”

Bred in Florida by Guilherme and Angela Bombonato, Shkspeare Shaliyah is out of the unplaced Clever Trick mare Tricky Mistress

By: Patrick Reed is a Thoroughbred Times contributing writer