Speightstown | Horse Racing Free Tips

Saturday Insights: Dean’s List Makes 3yo Debut on Busy Gulfstream Card

4th-GP, $60k, Msw, 3yo, 6f, 1:27 p.m. ET
Several in this race carry nice price tags but IRON WORKS (Distorted Humor) on the outside catches the eye first as a $550,000 purchase from last year's OBS April sale (:10 1/5) for MyRacehorse and Spendthrift Farm. The runner is a half to one other winner from GISP Silverpocketsfull (Indian Charlie), herself out of MGSP Unforgotten (Northern Afleet) and a half to another graded stakes-placed horse. Particular (Classic Empire) one down in the gate is part of the first 3-year-old crop for his sire, and is a $300,000 2021 Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream graduate after breezing a quarter in :10 2/5. Awesome Aaron (Practical Joke), out of a stakes-winning half to a group stakes placed runner in Japan, hails from the same sale; having drilled a quarter in :10 1/5 before going to Bradley Thoroughbreds acting as agent for William H. Lawrence for $350,000. The half to Grade I winner Denman's Call (Northern Afleet) by the late Arrogate, $200,000 KEESEP and $100,000 OBS June graduate Anthracite, will break from midpack. TJCIS PPs

5th-GP, $61k, OC 75k/N1X, 3yo, 6f, 1:57 p.m. ET
After an eye-catching debut victory Dec. 11 at Gulfstream Park, WinStar Farm and Siena Farm's DEAN'S LIST (Speightstown) will make his 3-year-old debut against a closely matched allowance field. A winner by five lengths after contesting a speed duel through fractions of :21.70 and :44.36 half, he earned an 83 Beyer for the effort. The colt is out of Mildly Offensive (Sharp Humor), a dual stakes-winning half-sister to MGSW It's No Joke (Distorted Humor) and SW Keep Laughing (Distorted Humor). Dean's List adds Lasix here for Todd Pletcher. TJCIS PPs

7th-GP, $60k, Msw, 3yo, 1m, 3:05 p.m. ET
Whisper Hill Farm homebred CHARGE IT (Tapit) will be representing the family of 2013 Broodmare of the Year, Take Charge Lady (Dehere) through his dam, I'll Take Charge (Indian Charlie). The second foal for the young broodmare, a $2.2 million purchase by Whisper Hill from the 2013 Keeneland September sale, he becomes her first to the races. His second dam needs little introduction, her line producing three sires as well as recent graded and listed stakes winners As Time Goes By (American Pharoah) and Courvoisier (Tapit). Next to that one in the gate is Touch Code (Honor Code), a half to champion 3-year-old West Coast (Flatter), whose first 2-year-olds will arrive this year. Their dam, champion 2-year-old and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies victress Caressing, is also the second dam of three millionaires in Japan. He was a distant second behind 'TDN Rising Star' Emmanuel (More Than Ready) on debut in Hallandale Dec. 11. The field of 10 also includes Trending (Uncle Mo), a half-brother to $1.2 million 2017 Keeneland September yearling Almashriq (War Front). Out of GSW & GISP Theyskens' Theory (Bernardini), the early May colt claims Stevie Wonderboy (Stephen Got Even) and Somelikeithotbrown (Big Brown) down the page and will debut for Shug McGaughey as a homebred for Andrew Rosen. TJCIS PPs

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Speightster Relocating to Ontario

Speightster (Speightstown–Dance Swiftly, by Danzig) has been purchased by Jay and Christine Hayden's Saintsbury Farms to stand the 2022 season at Northern Dawn Stables Inc., Hillsburgh, Ontario, Canada in a deal brokered by Chad Schumer of Schumer Bloodstock. A top-five second-crop sire in 2021 with progeny earnings approaching $4.3 million, the 'TDN Rising Star' previously stood at WinStar Farm. He will command a fee of C$6,500 this term.

“Canadian breeders will surely take note of the tremendous opportunity Speightster affords,” said Chad Schumer. “He is among the leading second-crop sires, behind only Not This Time, Nyquist, Frosted and Runhappy, and ahead of Laoban, Upstart, Outwork, Protonico, Brody's Cause and Mshawish among others.

“He immediately steps in as the second-ranked stallion in Ontario with bigger things to come from such as [Canadian] stakes winners Aubrieta and Dreaming of Drew and Tough To Tame, second in the GIII Iroquois at Churchill Downs and a Kentucky Derby contender.”

Speightster won the first three starts of his four-race career, capped by a clear victory in the 2015 GIII Dwyer S. His extremely strong pedigree will be particularly familiar to Canadian breeders, as his dam is a full-sister to Canadian Horse of the Year Dance Smartly from an extremely deep Sam-Son family of Canadian champions and Classic winners like Classy 'n Smart, Dancethruthedawn, Scatter the Gold, Say the Word, Hello Seattle and El Tormenta, top sire and GISW Smart Strike, et al.

“In terms of pedigree, all one can say is 'Wow,'” Schumer added. “By leading sire and sire of sires Speightstown and out of a Danzig half-sister to Smart Strike.”

For inquiries, contact Sherry McLean at 416-576-3815, sherrymclean88@gmail.com; or Bernard McCormack at 905-261-8852.

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Charlatan Attracts Quality First Book for 2022

Hill 'n' Dale President John Sikura couldn't be happier with the book of mares that multiple Grade I-winning 'TDN Rising Star' Charlatan (Speightstown-Authenticity, by Quiet American) has amassed for his first season at stud in 2022. Sikura said the quality embodied in this initial book is unlike many he's seen for a first-year sire.

“The complements we've received from people who have come out to see him have been remarkable,” he said. “Eclipse Award-winning breeders are sending Grade I-winning and Grade I-producing mares to him, which is something that is not the norm for newly-retired horses. He seems to be the exception where people recognize him as value.”

“The best way I can validate what I think about the horse is with the kind of mares we're sending to him,” he added.

Charlatan's first book includes two high-profile Hill 'n' Dale mares, 'TDN Rising Star' and MGISW Guarana (Ghostzapper) and Bubbler (Distorted Humor), the dam of champion Arrogate.

The new addition to Hill 'n' Dale's roster, who officially retired from racing in June of 2021, will stand for a fee of $50,000 in 2022.

“Charlatan is the first horse we've had since our inception of standing stallions who seems to have every ingredient,” Sikura said. “He was a horse of phenomenal talent and I think he's a generational horse in terms of his ability and his conformation.”

Charlatan is the second foal out of MGSW and 2013 GI Breeders' Cup Distaff third-place finisher Authenticity, who is also the dam of SW Hanalei Moon (Malibu Moon). Bred by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings, the son of Speightstown sold for $700,000 at the 2018 Keeneland September Sale.

“He is a very well-bred horse and is replete with Northern Dancer and Mr. Prospector in his pedigree,” Sikura noted. “He's by a very good sire whose sons look like they're going to be very good.”

The highly-regarded colt raced for owners SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Stonestreet Stables LLC, Frederick Hertrich, III, John D. Fielding and Golconda Stables and broke his maiden in style on debut early in his 3-year-old year, winning by nearly six lengths and earning the 'Rising Star' nod when he went six furlongs in 1.08:85.

He continued his win streak with a 10 1/4-length romp in an allowance optional claiming race at Santa Anita and another easy score in the 2020 GI Arkansas Derby. Two months later, Oaklawn stewards disqualified Charlatan, who was trained by Bob Baffert, for his Arkansas Derby win due to a drug positive, but in a ruling from the Arkansas Racing Commission in April of 2021, the disqualification was overturned and the win was restored to his credit.

Charlatan skipped the 2020 Triple Crown due to a minor ankle injury, but he returned at the end of the season to remain undefeated as a sophomore in the GI Runhappy Malibu S., defeating MGSWs Express Train (Union Rags) and Collusion Illusion (Twirling Candy), among other stakes winners.

Charlatan claims the GI Arkansas Derby by six lengths | Coady

The swift-footed colt suffered his lone defeat in his final start in the G1 Saudi Cup, running second to Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) after going head-to-head with future GI Breeders' Cup Classic winner Knicks Go (Paynter).

“He had so many wild performances and was only beaten once in his life,” Sikura explained. “He was a horse of extreme brilliance and world-class talent and he had speed that could carry.”

Charlatan retired after the Saudi Cup with earnings of over $4 million.

“It was a long road, to be honest, when he got hurt and had time off,” Sikura reflected. “I know there was more to the horse. I believe he was the kind of horse that if he left the gate and didn't have any problems, he was always the horse to beat no matter who was in the race with him. He was a remarkable racehorse and a generational talent.”

Hill 'n' Dale secured the breeding rights to Charlatan following the colt's romp in the Arkansas Derby. Sikura said that as breeders have come out to see Charlatan, they've only been further convinced of the new sire's potential after seeing the imposing chestnut in person.

“He's very proportionate with a great hind leg and he walks like a cat,” Sikura explained. “He seems to float over the ground and he has a great presence about him. I see him as a flawless, impeccable horse who really withstands any scrutiny from breeders. If you're wondering what a stallion should have, come and see him. He has every category in spades.”

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Gulfstream: Pletcher Sends Pair Of Maiden Winners To Dania Beach

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher will send out the pair of maiden winners Grand Sonata and Chanceux, each in their South Florida debut, as they chase stakes success in Saturday's $100,000 Dania Beach at Gulfstream Park.

The 14th running of the Dania Beach and 11th renewal of the Ginger Brew for fillies, both going one mile on the grass, are among five stakes for newly turned 3-year-olds worth $550,000 in purses on a New Year's Day holiday program headlined by the $150,000 Mucho Macho Man.

Post time for the first of 11 races is noon.

Pletcher previously won the Dania Beach with Made You Look in 2017, its last of a five-year run as a Grade 3 event. Whisper Hill Farm homebred Grand Sonata will be making his second straight stakes start after encountering trouble in the 1 1/16-mile Central Park Nov. 27 at Aqueduct.

In that race, the Medaglia d'Oro colt got bumped at the start and trailed the field into the stretch, had to steady at the three-sixteenths pole and wound up fifth beaten less than two lengths after making a belated run.

“I think trip handicappers would certainly take note of that,” Pletcher said. “It was a good ground-saving trip until nothing opened up and, unfortunately, there was just nowhere to go. He got extracted late and was closing really well when that happened, but it just didn't happen in time.”

Grand Sonata ran second to next-out Futurity (G3) winner Slipstream in his Sept. 18 debut sprinting seven furlongs on the Belmont Park turf. He stretched out to 1 1/16 miles for an off-the-turf maiden special weight Oct. 16 at Keeneland, where he led every step of the way for a 2 ¼-length win as the favorite.

“It was a good debut on the turf and then he was able to win off the turf. I think he is a colt that has a future on both surfaces,” Pletcher said. “Right now, we feel like he's a little better on the turf. He had a rough trip last time but he's doing really well. He put in a couple good breezes for us at Palm Beach [Downs] and, hopefully, we can get a smoother trip this time.”

Harrell Ventures' Chanceux is by Speightstown, the champion sprinter of 2004 also trained by Pletcher, out of the Broken Vow mare Rosalind, who was a Grade 2 winner on turf and Grade 1 placed on synthetics. Chanceux raced twice as a 2-year-old, finishing fourth in his Oct. 9 unveiling over Belmont's main track. Moved to the grass next out, he posted a front-running two-length triumph at the same six-furlong distance Nov. 13 at Aqueduct.

“It was a pretty straightforward performance. He broke alertly and took them wire to wire and seemed to make a move forward on the turf, which wasn't a surprise based on the bottom side of his pedigree,” Pletcher said. “It looked like there was plenty of turf there.

“We gave him a shot on the dirt first time out and he didn't run badly, but it looked like he took a big step forward on the grass,” he added. “I think the mile suits him well. I think it's a good intermediate distance to stretch him out.”

Tyler Gaffalione is named to ride Grand Sonata from far outside Post 8, while Luis Saez has the call on Chanceux from Post 5.

Live Oak Plantation homebred Biz Biz Buzz takes stakes credentials into the Dania Beach. After winning his debut Sept. 10 at Laurel Park, the Fed Biz colt ran third in the Oct. 10 Futurity and fifth in the Nov. 5 Atlantic Beach sprinting six furlongs on the Belmont turf. Most recently, he set the pace before settling for third in Gulfstream's one-mile Pulpit Dec. 3. Trained by Mike Trombetta, Biz Biz Buzz is cross-entered in a Dec. 31 allowance at Gulfstream.

Father Glado, owned and trained by Jose D'Angelo; Silverton Hill's Gingrich and DATTT Stable homebred Smokin' T all enter the Dania Beach off maiden victories. Father Glado won going a mile and 70 yards Dec. 9 on the Tapeta at Gulfstream; Gingrich scored by two lengths on a yielding Keeneland turf Oct. 8; and Smokin' T was a two-length winner going 1 1/16 miles Dec. 5 on the grass at Aqueduct.

Completing the field are K.C. Chief, a last-out winner at Gulfstream for owner-trainer Ruben Gracida, and No Nay Franklin, trained and co-owned by Patrick Biancone. No Nay Franklin has run second in each of his two starts, both at Gulfstream. He was beaten a neck in an Aug. 29 maiden special weight sprinting five furlongs on the grass then lost by a head in an off-the-turf edition of the seven-furlong Armed Forces Sept. 18.

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