Breeders' Cup 2011 Results: Shackleford's Mystique Remains After Strong Finish

Shackleford was the biggest enigma coming into the 2011 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, and he remains just as mystifying now that it's all over.

Handicappers didn't know what to make of Shackleford. He wasn't pegged as the odds-on favorite, as he disappointed in that role prior to the Breeders' Cup, and he was 0-4 in his last four races coming in.

He couldn't be written off entirely, though. After all, this was the horse who won the Preakness. His raw speed is downright incredible, and his close finishes make him easy to like and impossible to discount.

He still hasn't tasted victory since his incredible Preakness victory, but he managed to place and beat out favorite Trappe Shot, who failed to even show.

Odds-makers still have no idea what to do with Shackleford. Do you make him an even-money favorite? Would it be foolish to set his odds at 5-1?

Regardless of where Shackleford is projected to finish, he'll always draw attention from bettors. The mystique remains from his incredible Preakness win, and he's still one of biggest names in horse racing.

Shackleford continues to entrance bettors. He didn't win this time, but he was right there in the mix. Whenever he takes the track, there is an aura about him. He can't be ignored, but he can't be trusted. There is no making sense of Shackleford, which makes any race he's in must-see TV.