Roo Art Overtakes Precisionist, Lady’s Secret to Win

OCEANPORT, N.J. — Roo Art, waiting until midstretch to make his move under Bill Shoemaker, overtook Lady’s Secret and Precisionist on a sloppy track to win the $313,800 Philip H. Iselin Handicap at Monmouth Park Saturday.

Shoemaker, who will be 55 Tuesday, settled the son of Buckaroo into last place in the field of five at the start of the 1 1/8-mile race for 3-year-olds and up.

Lady’s Secret, the 6-5 second choice, grabbed the lead ahead of Precisionist. Chris McCarron urged Precisionist to the flank of Lady’s Secret as they entered the stretch.

But while Lady’s Secret, ridden by Pat Day, battled Precisionist, Roo Art began his charge and overtook both horses. He finished 2 lengths ahead of Precisionist and 3 1/2 lengths in front of Lady’s Secret in 1:48 4/5.

Roo Art returned $7.20, $3.80 and $2.20, while Precisionist paid $3.60 and $2.20, and Lady’s Secret, owned by Fred Hooper, returned $2.10.

Roo Art earned $188,288 for owner Barbara Holleran and now has earned more than $900,000.

Heavy rains after the sixth race turned the track sloppy, but Shoemaker didn’t mind the conditions.

“The horse likes the slop. He eats it up,” said the mud-covered Shoemaker. “He won before in the slop.”

Roo Art, trained by Wayne Lukas, won the Nassau County Handicap at Belmont on a sloppy track the last time Shoemaker rode him.

“I ran into a little trouble,” Shoemaker said. “I had to ease him back and go around a horse just before the quarter pole.”

McCarron, who appeared headed for victory with Precisionist before Roo Art’s charge, said: “I thought I was home free in the stretch, and my horse finished good. I can’t give any excuses.”