Awesome of Course's 3-year-old colt Shivaree got his third career stakes win Saturday at Tampa Bay Downs in the $100,000 Marion County S., setting a stakes record in the seven-furlong race.

Shivaree, who was bred by his owner Jacks or Better Farm, Inc., is out of the top producer Garter Belt, making him a full brother to stakes winner Twotwentyfive A and a half-brother to three-time stakes winner Garter and Tie.

With My Boy Lenny taking the top spot at the break, Shivaree sat a couple lengths off the pace for the backstretch run. Jackson took over the lead at the top of the stretch, with Shivaree two lengths back in third. Kicking into high gear in the final furlong, he ran down the leader to win by 2 1/4-lengths in 1:21.68.

“I liked his chances, but he was going in against some established older horses,” trainer Ralph Nicks said. “(Jackson), Noble Drama, Gerald Bennett’s horse (My Boy Lenny), Mr. (Fred) Brei’s other horse (Old Time Revival) – it was a tough, solid group of older horses that will make a young horse run.” 

The victory upped Shivaree's record to 4-3-2 in 15 starts, with earnings of $433,475. In addition to his three stakes wins, the chestnut colt was second in both the Florida Derby (G1) and Swale S. (G3) early this year.