Hall of Fame - Shentaan

Original article written by J K Rowling posted 16 years 2 weeks ago

When Robin Tan bred Shentaan, no one could have guessed the wild success the bay filly would have. Shentaan was one of the last foals from her dam, Imagining, modeled after the real life mare. In the SIM, Imagining had thirteen foals to race, twelve of them fillies, and four of them were stakes winners. Shentaan's half-sister, Serena's Song, became a very influential broodmare, her most notable foals being Priceless Forever and Serena Success. Shentaan's sire, Lucifer, was a successful router on both turf and dirt and renowned for being impossibly mean and savage. The majority of his winners were on turf, and his most successful offspring were two mares from his first crop: Shentaan and Enigma.

During training, Shentaan showed her sire's fire by constantly throwing riders and working too fast. She began her racing career in year 10 in Chile. She raced four times as a two year-old, was undefeated, and topped the year off by winning the Estrellas Juvenile Fillies by a nose against future millionaire Tejano Torpedo. Her efforts were rewarded with the title of South American Champion Two Year Old Filly.

As a three year-old, Shentaan continued her dominance of South America by winning the Macon Stakes by five lengths. A mere two weeks later, she was shipped off to Dubai to do something she had never done before: run on dirt. Nonetheless, Shentaan dominated the UAE Oaks by six lengths. The undefeated filly then shipped back to Chile to win the One Thousand Guineas in spectacular fashion.

Shentaan continued her brilliance when she shipped up to the States. Her first American start was the Laurel Turf Distaff, which she won by 2 ½ lengths. Still undefeated in eight starts, Shentaan was entered in the Breeders Cup Filly And Mare Turf. Even with a short field of six, top mares including Heartbreakmilenium, Subtle Admiration, and Rejoice were going to give Shentaan a run for her money. But the bay filly showed her heart and grit to the wire to win by a neck. The champion was rewarded by winning three SIMMYs that year, including Champion Three Year-Old Filly, Champion Female Turf Horse, and South American Champion Three Year-Old Filly.

Shentaan's brilliance continued as a four year-old, and she rolled on to win five more big stakes. Her first win since winning the BC F&M Turf was the Fleet Lady Stakes, which she won for kicks. Once again, Shentaan was shipped out to Dubai to run, but this time in the prestigious Dubai Duty Free, where she said "bye-bye" to the boys and won by three lengths. She flew to Canada three weeks later to take the Affirmed Star Stakes with ease.

As her career began to come to a close, Shentaan was shipped back to her home of Chile to run her last two races. In the Orbit Stakes, Shentaan's undefeated record was nearly shattered when she couldn't shake a stubborn It's Okay To Cry, and was lucky to win by a nose bob. In her final race of her career, the Estrellas Distaff, Shentaan continued her typical aggressive, front-running style to win by ¾ of a length. Shentaan became a champion once again, being named South America's Champion Older Mare.

As a broodmare, Shentaan has been phenomenal. She has had eleven foals, the youngest a yearling, and all her foals to start are stakes winners. Her first foal, Sai Yah, was a multiple Australian champion and foaled Monaachi, The Star Man, and The Wilding, who speak for themselves. Shentaan is also the mother of Legend, a Steward's Cup winner last year whose earnings exceed $3 million. Her four year-old daughter, Born Wild, is a distance-loving freak of nature whose average margin of victory is almost five lengths. Shentaan also has an up-and-coming three year-old son, Untamed. Since being stretched out, he has won the Magellan Stakes and Brisbane Derby by a combined twenty lengths. Even though she is now pensioned, Shentaan, the undefeated super mare, will live through her wildly successful sons and daughters.

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