There was a lingering mix of joy and farewell at Gulfstream Park on Saturday as Shaq Diesel delivered one final performance for trainer David Fawkes. Moments after the gelding powered clear to win the Benny the Bull Handicap, Fawkes leaned in to plant a fond kiss on his horse’s nose, a gesture that drew warm applause from those who understood it marked the end of an era.
“He’s leaving,” Fawkes admitted softly after the race. “He’s been great to me. I love the horse. I hate to see him go, but it is what it is.”
Shaq Diesel in the Benny the Bull Handicap
Recently acquired by Middle East businessman Omar Ghrghar at the Fasig-Tipton Digital Sale, Shaq Diesel earned one last victory in Fawkes’ colors before departing for a new career abroad. Already a multiple stakes winner, he has collected more than $380,000 across 26 starts, a record that underlines his durability as much as his ability.
Carrying top weight of 124 pounds, Shaq Diesel conceded up to six pounds to his six rivals yet never looked troubled. Breaking alertly from his outside post, he settled comfortably just off General Ledger before sweeping past on the far turn. With regular jockey Miguel Vasquez sitting motionless until the three-eighths pole, Shaq Diesel surged ahead and widened the margin with authority, completing the seven furlongs in 1:22.42 on a sealed sloppy track.
“The horse was perfect,” Vasquez said. “He broke good, I tried to put him in a good position, and when I asked, he responded. He won easy.”
Finish Order and Context
Behind the winner, The Golden Gorilla stayed on late under Jose Morelos to take second, finishing 4½ lengths clear of Pure Class, another runner from the Fawkes stable, ridden by Emisael Jaramillo.
This was Shaq Diesel’s eighth career win, his sixth at the seven-furlong trip where he has often looked most comfortable. For Fawkes and his team, it was a bittersweet send-off: a gallant horse leaving the barn on a high note.
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