Wathnan Racing’s Kentucky-bred Shareholder parlayed a debut win 12 days earlier to a victory in the Norfolk Stakes (G2) during the third day of the prestigious Royal Ascot meet on Thursday, June 20. The sharp victory in the Norfolk, a Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” contested over five furlongs, earned the 2-year-old son of Not This Time a berth in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1).

Ridden by James Doyle for trainer Karl Richard Burke, Shareholder hit the front passing the two-furlong marker and scored by about a length from Tropical Storm (GB) at the finish. His final clocking of :59.77 was the fourth-fastest time in the history of the race. A $62,000 graduate of the 2023 Keeneland September Sale, Shareholder was acquired by his Qatar-based ownership group for $495,481 at the Arqana 2024 Breeze-Up Sale. He is by Taylor Made Stallions’ Not This Time out of the Invincible Spirit (IRE) mare Cloudy Dancer (GB).

Of the victory, winning rider James Doyle said on RacingTV.com, “He’s still learning. I tried to keep a lid on him for as long as possible, until we got down to the inside pole. I just wanted to give him time to get organized. His debut was a bit messy at Beverley, it’s a hard place to teach a horse, but he learned plenty. He’s got a big engine.”