8-1? 'Shirl'-y you must be joking, but the March-foaled bay rewarded her backers in becoming the second 'TDN Rising Star' out of the mare and the fourth from the first two dams with a spectacular effort on career debut.

A half-step slow to begin from gate nine and a detached last passing the stands for the first time, Ready for Shirl was allowed to find her feet by Florent Geroux and she had some pace up ahead of her, as Tempting Lady (Enticed) went the opening quarter in a swift :22.64 over a course which as recently as Friday still had plenty of ease in it. The homebred had passed a couple of rivals by the time they reached the backstretch, and Ready for Shirl was asked to commence a rally with the better part of 5 1/2 furlongs to go, improving her position with a two-path run before angling down towards the inside at the half-mile pole.

Forced to take evasive action around a weakening rival three furlongs from home, Ready for Shirl was consigned to a very wide run around the second turn, but nevertheless made ominous headway, circling up into contention nearing the stretch. Some six wide at the top of the lane, Ready for Shirl surged to a narrow lead at the furlong grounds and bounded clear late to an eye-catching victory. Pin Up Betty (Constitution) sat a perfect inside trip and narrowly outfinished odds-on Spaliday (More Than Ready–Dayatthespa) for second.

The late Jack Werk acquired then 18-year-old Illinois-bred Grade I winner Lady Shirl for $485,000 on behalf of Fipke at the 2005 Keeneland November sale, and the Theatrical (Ire) filly she was carrying at the time got her new owner off to a flying start. Lady Shakespeare, whose full-brother Shakespeare won the GI Woodbine Mile a year after her birth, would go on to a pair of graded wins–including Keeneland's GIII Bewitch S.

Lady Shirl's first Fipke-planned mating was a date with his 2004 GI Maker's Mark Mile hero Perfect Soul and the result was Perfect Shirl, upset winner of the 2010 GII Lake George S. and whose lone victory in nine subsequent trips to the post was a 27-1 upset of the 2011 Filly and Mare Turf. In her first two years at stud, Perfect Shirl was covered by More Than Ready, but neither of those produce managed a victory. A switch to More Than Ready's barnmate Speightstown seemed to do the trick, as Shirl's Speight, GISW-US, GSW & GISP-Can, $1,408,033, became a 'TDN Rising Star' on Woodbine debut in 2020 and recorded his biggest victory to date in the 2022 Maker's Mark. He was fourth to Master of The Seas (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in Friday's renewal.

Perfect Shirl's half-sister Fantastic Shirl (Fantastic Light), a homebred for Dell Ridge Farm, was accorded 'Rising Star' status on Gulfstream debut in 2006, while Lady Shakespeare was responsible for 'TDN Rising Star' Lady Speightspeare (Speightstown), winner of the GI Natalma S. at two and later third in the 2022 GI Jenny Wiley S. and Filly and Mare Turf at Keeneland. The latter's half-sister Ready Lady (More Than Ready) scored at 7-1 on her seven-furlong debut at Woodbine in 2021 before going on to finish third in last year's GII Dance Smartly S.

Perfect Shirl is also the dam of Speightstown Shirl (Speightstown), GSP, $119,038, the 2-year-old filly Perfectshirlstown (Speightstown) and is due to the late WinStar sire this year.

Ready for Shirl is the 17th 'TDN Rising Star' for her sadly departed stallion.

5th-Keeneland, $98,495, Msw, 4-13, 3yo, f, 1 1/16mT, 1:43.39, gd, 3 1/2 lengths.
READY FOR SHIRL, f, 3, by More Than Ready
1st Dam: Perfect Shirl (GISW-USA, GSP-Can, $1,390,729), by Perfect Soul (Ire)
2nd Dam: Lady Shirl, by That's a Nice
3rd Dam: Canonization, by Native Heritage
Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $56,575. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

O/B-Charles E Fipke (KY); T-Roger L Attfield.

#9 READY FOR SHIRL ($17.86) pulled clear down the lane to make her first start a winning one in race 5 at Keeneland! @flothejock was in the irons for Roger Attfield and Charles Fipke.

Ready for Shirl is out of the GISW Perfect Shirl and is a half to GISW Shirl's Speight. pic.twitter.com/LI6Jn6HUEe

— TVG (@TVG) April 13, 2024

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Also drawn is Ready for Shirl (More Than Ready), who is out of GI Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf victress Perfect Shirl (Perfect Soul {Ire}). Both were bred and raced by Charles Fipke, along with Perfect Shirl's half-sister MGSW Lady Shakespeare (Theatrical {Ire}), the dam of another Fipke homebred, Canadian three-time champion Lady Speightspeare (Speightstown). Once again, Roger Attfield serves as this owner's go-to conditioner. TJCIS PPS

4th-KEE, $100K, Msw, 3yo, 6 1/2f, 2:36 p.m. ET.
Fracture (Uncle Mo) debuts for Katie Rich Farms under trainer Daniel Leitch. A half-brother to GI Manhattan S. hero Instilled Regard (Arch), the homebred's second dam is champion 3-year-old filly Heavenly Prize (Seeking the Gold), who produced MGISW Good Reward (Storm Cat). TJCIS PPS

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The post Speightstown ‘Rising Star’ Runs Back to Debut to Dominate Marine appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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On the other end of the spectrum, John Oxley’s Lucky Curlin (Curlin) will be making his 10th start in the 1 1/16-mile contest. The Mark Casse-conditioned colt needed six tries to get off the duck at two, and finally earned the distinction via DQ in a sloppy six-panel affair at the Fair Grounds in December. Off the board in a pair of stakes at the New Orleans oval over the winter, the homebred came from off the pace to score last time in Etobicoke over the Marine’s course and distance June 14.

“He’s a horse that’s disappointed me, to be honest,” said Casse. “We were always thinking, ‘If he ever gets his act together..’ He was a horse early on that we thought was as good as [Grade III winner] Enforceable [Tapit]. And of course, Enforceable is going to the [GI] Kentucky Derby.”

“His last race, from a Beyer standpoint, was very good. I wasn’t surprised, but it was pleasant. He’s been extremely frustrating for us because we’ve had high hopes for him. There are horses whose abilities are limited. He hasn’t been that way. So, we’ll see how he handles two turns. I’m still not positive that he isn’t a come-from-behind sprinter. But we’re going to give it a try.”

Among Queen’s Plate eligible runners is Dotted Line (Signature Red), listed at 18-1 in the Queen’s Plate winterbook. The winner of three starts in 2019, including a pair of stakes over the Tapeta, the Sid Attard trained gelding finished fifth in Woodine’s seven-panel Queeneston S. against fellow Ontario breds July 4.

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Shirl’s Speight is his dam’s fourth foal, and has a year-older full-brother who also won first out while showing speed on the turf–that runner, Perfect Speighty, is now two-for-four. Perfect Shirl, out of the GISW Lady Shirl (That’s Nice), is a half to MGISW Shakespeare (Theatrical {Ire}), MGSW Lady Shakespeare (Theatrical {Ire}) and SW/MGSP and useful producer Fantastic Shirl (Fantastic Light). Perfect Shirl has a 2-year-old full-sister to Shirl’s Speight named Speightstown Shirl who was posted two works recently at Woodbine.

10th-Woodbine, C$83,137, Msw, 7-4, 3yo/up, 7fT, 1:19.97, fm.
SHIRL’S SPEIGHT, c, 3, Speightstown
1st Dam: Perfect Shirl (GISW-USA, GSP-Can, $1,390,729), by Perfect Soul {Ire})
                2nd Dam: Lady Shirl, by That’s Nice
                3rd Dam: Canonization, by Native Heritage
Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $30,997. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton. Free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
O/B-Charles Fipke (KY); T-Roger L. Attfield.

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PLUM PRETTY COLT DEBUTS AT GULFSTREAM

7th-GP, $47K, Msw, 3yo/up, 6 1/2f, 3:00p.m.

Whisper Hill Farm homebred PLUM FUNNY (Distorted Humor), a son of MGISW Plum Pretty (Medaglia d’Oro), makes his career bow in this test for Ralph Nicks. Mandy Pope paid $4.2-million for GI Kentucky Oaks victress and millionaire Plum Pretty at the 2012 Keeneland November Sale. She has produced one winner from two foals of racing age and her recent foals include the juvenile filly Plum Awesome (Curlin) and a yearling colt by Arrogate. St. George Stable homebred Mascabroni (Hard Spun) also debuts here. His second dam is GISW Love Lock (Silver Ghost), dam of MSW Love Locket (Thunder Gulch), who in turn produced MSW Ghost Locket (Ghostzapper). TJCIS PPs

MCGAUGHEY UNVEILS BLUE-BLOODED WAR FRONT FILLY

6th-LRL, $40K, Msw, 3yo/up, f/m, 1 1/6mT, 3:10p.m.

The regally bred ONE WAY PASSAGE (War Front) heads to the post for the first time here for Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey. Bred by Joe Allen and Emory Hamilton and racing under their colors, the dark bay is a half to MGSW & MGISP Hungry Island (More Than Ready); GSW Soaring Empire (Empire Maker); GSP Tokyo Time (Medaglia d’Oro); and the dam of GISW Preservationist (Arch). Their second dam is GISW Chic Shirine (Mr. Prospector) and this is also the family of GISWs Verrazano (More Than Ready), Serra Lake (Seattle Slew), Somali Lemonade (Lemon Drop Kid), Harmonize (Scat Daddy) and Keen Ice (Curlin). TJCIS PPs

SEA THE STARS COLT MAKES CAREER BOW AT ELLIS

4th-ELP, $37K, Msw, 2yo, 1mT, 3:14p.m.

Stonestreet Stables went to 500,000gns to acquire THE RIGHT STUFF (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) at the Tattersalls October Sale last term and he debuts in this spot for trainer Wesley Ward. His dam is a half to Italian Group 1 winner Sudan (Ire) (Peintre Celebre) and his third dam Special Happening (Relaunch) was a GSW & GISP on these shores. Dane Kobiskie saddles another firster of interest in Brew Pub (Street Sense), a $310,000 FTSAUG buy. His second dam is Canadian champion Ginger Brew (Milwaukee Brew), who is a half-sister to MGSW Bourbon Bay (Sligo Bay {Ire}). TJCIS PPs

SON OF PERFECT SHIRL GETS STARTED AT WOODBINE

10th-WO, $123.2K, Msw, 3yo/up, 7fT, 5:48p.m.

Charles Fipke homebred SHIRL’S SPEIGHT (Speightstown) looks to open her account at first asking at Woodbine Saturday. His dam is fellow Fipke homebred and GI Breeders’ Cup F/M Turf heroine Perfect Shirl (Perfect Soul {Ire}), who is a half-sister to MGISW Shakespeare (Theatrical {Ire}), MGSW Lady Shakespeare (Theatrical {Ire}) and SW & MGSP Fantastic Shirl (Fantastic Light). TJCIS PPs

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