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Speightstown Colt Romps in the Saratoga Slop to Earn ‘TDN Rising Star’ Badge

Nashville (c, 3, Speightstown–Veronique, by Mizzen Mast) set sharp early fractions in the Saratoga slop on debut Wednesday afternoon and ran away and hid from his three overmatched rivals in the stretch en route to a ‘TDN Rising Star’ performance.

The $460,000 Keeneland September yearling graduate, campaigned in partnership by CHC INC. and WinStar Farm LLC, sported a pair of flashy bullets on his worktab for Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, including a five-furlong spin in :58 4/5 (1/20) from the gate at the Spa Aug. 9.

The 1-5 favorite broke sharply, and sped through sparkling opening splits of :21.50 and :43.87. He hit the quarter pole in complete command beneath Irad Ortiz, Jr. and splashed his way home to an eye-catching and geared-down 11 1/2-length daylight victory. Democratic Values (Honor Code) was second.

Nashville becomes the fifth ‘Rising Star’ in 2020 for leading sire Speightstown. Asmussen also campaigns fellow ‘Rising Star’ Echo Town (Speightstown), winner of this summer’s GI H. Allen Jerkens S. presented by Runhappy.

Nashville’s unraced dam Veronique was purchased privately by Tony Holmes in foal to Mastery after the 2019 KEENOV Sale. She is also represented by the unraced 2-year-old colt Market Cap (Candy Ride {Arg}) and a Mastery colt of 2019 and filly of 2020. The 9-year-old was bred to Collected for 2021.

Nashville’s third dam Set Them Free (Stop the Music) produced 2005 GI Kentucky Derby winner Giacomo (Holy Bull) and MGISW Tiago (Pleasant Tap).

3rd-Saratoga, $66,960, Msw, 9-2, 3yo/up, 6 1/2f, 1:14.48, sy.
NASHVILLE, c, 3, by Speightstown
1st Dam: Veronique, by Mizzen Mast
2nd Dam: Styler, by Holy Bull
3rd Dam: Set Them Free, Stop the Music
Sales history: $460,000 Ylg ’18 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $39,600. Click for the Equibase.com chart, free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
O-CHC INC. & WinStar Farm LLC; B-Breffni Farm (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen.

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Sept. 2 Insights

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency

PRICEY SPEIGHTSTOWN DEBUTS AT THE SPA

3rd-SAR, $72K, Msw, 3yo/up, 6 1/2f, 1:49 p.m.

China Horse Club and WinStar’s NASHVILLE (Speightstown) makes his career bow in this five-horse affair. The $460,000 KEESEP purchase hails from the family of GI Kentucky Derby upsetter Giacomo (Holy Bull); MGISW Tiago (Pleasant Tap); and GSW & MGISP Stanwyck (Empire Maker). TJCIS PPs

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Shirl’s Speight Out of Derby Contention

‘TDN Rising Star’ Shirl’s Speight (Speightstown) is no longer being pointed to the GI Kentucky Derby after developing a cough Saturday.

“Unfortunately, Shirl’s Speight has come up with a minor cough today and he will not be going to the Kentucky Derby,” owner/breeder Fipke Stable tweeted. “His health is our number one concern, and we’ll look forward to his next race.”

“He’s coughing and full of mucus so we’ve had to put him on antibiotics,” trainer Roger Attfield said. “I’ve had four or five of them [get sick] these last couple weeks actually. It’s nothing majorly serious but it’s bad timing. We were looking forward to seeing if we could something fancy but there will be another day. Just normal stuff we have to go through quite often.”

An impressive debut winner at Woodbine July 4, Shirl’s Speight followed suit with a victory in that venue’s GIII Marine S. July 25.

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Flagstaff Faces Giant Expectations In ‘Win And You’re In’ Pat O’Brien Stakes

Flagstaff is a lovely, little town in the mountains of Northern Arizona. Flagstaff is also a very fast racehorse who could be tough to beat at Del Mar Saturday afternoon in the 35th running of the Pat O'Brien Stakes.

The O'Brien, a seven-panel spin for 3-year-olds and up, carries a purse of $150,000 and Grade II status. It also is a Breeders' Cup “Win & You're In” race that guarantees the victor entry with all fees paid to the $2,000,000 BC Dirt Mile to be run on Saturday, November 7 at Keeneland in Kentucky.

Flagstaff, the horse, is a 6-year-old gelding by 2004 sprint champion Speightstown who has been judiciously spotted and raced by trainer John Sadler for the Kentucky-bred's owners — Lanes End Racing or Hronis Racing. He didn't make it to the races until his 4-year-old season and only shows 13 starts in total. Five of them have been wins, though — the last two coming in stakes at the O'Brien's seven-furlong distance — and he sports earnings that read $485,785.

Hall of Fame rider Victor Espinoza, who has been aboard in most of the horse's starts, has the call again Saturday and they'll break from Post 4 in the eight-horse lineup.

The chief treat to Flagstaff is likely to be the comebacking Giant Expectations, a 7-year-old horse by Frost Giant who races for the partnership of David Bernsen and Exline-Border Racing and is trained by Peter Eurton. The winner of $1,336,600 will be making his first start in nearly 10 months and gets Del Mar's leading rider, Umberto Rispoli, along for the outing.

Giant Expectations has a history with both the Pat O'Brien and the BC Dirt Mile. He won the former back in 2017 as a 4-year-old, then ran second in it last year. He's run in the BC Dirt Mile the last three years, though he hasn't had much success in the race. The 2019 BC Dirt Mile on November 2 at Santa Anita was his most recent start.

Here's the full O'Brien field from the rail out with riders and morning line odds:

Agnew, Schneider or Xitco's Law Abidin Citizen (Abel Cedillo, 5-1); Little Red Feather Racing and Vanderslice's P R Radio Star (Juan Hernandez, 6-1); Gust or Warren's Manhattan Up (Tiago Pereira, 15-1); Flagstaff (5/2); Tom Kagele's C Z Rocket (Flavien Prat, 4-1); Slam Dunk Racing or MyRacehorse.com's Vertical Threat (Heriberto Figueroa, 8-1); Giant Expectations (7/2), and Doubledown Stables' Blameitonthelaw (Drayden Van Dyke, 12-1).

C Z Rocket is the lone out-of-towner to tackle the local sprinters. California trainer Peter Miller claimed the City Zip gelding for $40,000 at Oaklawn Park this past April and subsequently won three straight races with him in Kentucky. He was shipped to Monmouth Park in New Jersey in July, but never started there. He's won seven races and $341,641.

Law Abidin Citizen was the third-place finisher in the six-furlong Bing Crosby Stakes earlier in the Del Mar meet. The 6-year-old gelding by Twirling Candy has won seven races and more than $500,000, all out of the barn of trainer Mark Glatt.

P R Radio Star will be trying to win his first stakes race in his 31st start. The 5-year-old gelding by Warrior's Reward has won twice already at the current Del Mar meet, taking a pair of allowance sprints.

First post for the 11-race Saturday card is 2 p.m.

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