Speightstown

Stonestreet Stables' Lady Jancis (Speightstown) took plenty of heat dueling inside on a strong pace on Keeneland turf-sprint debut Oct. 11 and stuck on well to be fourth beaten just under two lengths. Returning in the Wednesday finale at Churchill Downs as the 3-5 chalk and looking to become the fifth next-out winner from that first run, the beautifully bred dark bay gave those who swallowed the skinny price very little to worry about, cruising on the engine throughout en route to a much-the-best victory. Winner of the 2016 G3...

After a weekend that flashed one talent after another, like a many-sided jewel rotating in the sun, it's hard to single out a dominant facet. But having previously explored the backgrounds of Golden Tempo (Curlin) and Nysos (Nyquist), let's start with the breakout performance of Englishman (Maxfield), author of a 115 Beyer in the GI Woody Stephens Stakes. And actually this horse shares an important glint of brilliance with the other pair. Because Golden Tempo, the second consecutive Derby/Belmont winner out of a daughter of Bernardini, shares his damsire not...

Those of us most despondent to see the winner of the first leg sitting out the second can console ourselves, precisely on grounds of tradition, that an abbreviated GI Belmont Stakes would never have allowed a "proper" Triple Crown anyway. Even so, with Curlin obviously deploying a rather more important son at Saratoga this weekend, we can be indulged in neglecting his contribution to one of the more intriguing winners of a relatively quiet week. Original Sin is a slower burn than Golden Tempo, but appears to be thriving with...

The 3-year-old sprint division just keeps getting better. Deep Flame (c, 3, Into Mischief--Barbadia, by Speightstown) looks like another major player in the stacked division following a head-turning, seven-length maiden victory over older horses at third asking at Churchill Downs May 17. The Juddmonte homebred sat a press-and-pounce trip beneath Irad Ortiz, Jr. and stopped the timer for six furlongs in a sharp 1:08.96. He earned a 95 Beyer Speed Figure. He was previously a well-beaten second behind next-out Lafayette S. winner Trouble Calling (Dialed In) on debut for Brad...

3rd-CD, 120K, Msw, 2yo, 5fT, 5:58 p.m. Trainer Mark Casse and Kentucky Derby-winning jockey Jose Ortiz team up on PLAY IT AGAIN (Speightstown) from the rail in this five-furlong turf sprint. A $725,000 Keeneland September grad, the Kindred Stables-bred, from his sire's last crop, is the first to the track for an unraced daughter of American Pharoah. That mare is a daughter of GI Ogden Phipps Handicap winner Seattle Smooth, making her a half to GSW She Be Smooth (Lexitonian) and GSP Seattle Slang (Tapit). Casse and Ortiz have previously...

The connections of Movie Night (Speightstown) may have been the only ones happy to see the deluge that turned the Churchill Downs main track to slop Saturday as their filly, already experienced over an off surface, skipped over it to become a new 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard'. Second going just a half-furlong longer on a wet opening day at Keeneland Apr. 3 in an effort which netted her an 83 Beyer Speed Figure, the 3-5 favorite saw plenty of pace burst out in front of her as she...

Antiquarian, winner of last year's GI Jockey Club Gold Cup, but last seen being a distant eighth in the Nov. 1 GI Breeders' Cup Classic, kicked off 2026 with a stylish victory in the GIII Westchester Stakes Sunday at Aqueduct. The chestnut sat just off the pace as favored Bishops Bay and Quint's Brew were up front through a quarter in :24.19 and a half in :47.00. Antiquarian rolled up three wide on the far turn, stuck a head in front at the top of the lane and strode clear...

In most situations, discussion is always best, but some days you just don't feel like hearing second opinions. Arbiter (Charlatan) didn't let anyone get a word in edge wise, and coasted home to a sublime victory in the Woodstock Stakes at Woodbine. Coming into the race with a maiden score on the turf and a win against optional claimers over the synthetic at Churchill Downs Nov. 30--where he set a new course record--and Turfway Park Dec. 17, respectively, he'd last been seen kicking off his 2026 campaign Mar. 21 in...

So this week it was Not This Time who landed two big punches: a 13th career Grade I scorer, Claret Beret, in the Apple Blossom Handicap; plus the Grade II prize named for his own sire Giant's Causeway, through In Our Time. If Not This Time and Into Mischief are going to slug it out all year long, they will of course be drawing on the same well--each extending a different branch of Storm Cat. How do you trademark that horse's legacy? Well, a couple of years ago we tapped...

LIGHTS OUT LENI (Speightstown) was well-backed by the betting public as the 6-5 favorite for her debut here. The filly meant business at the bell and proceeded to make every pole a winning one through the top of the lane. Making the most of her unveiling, the 3-year-old sailed home a no-doubt graduate for Al Gold. Directive (Gun Runner) was the runner-up. The winner's dam is responsible for 2-year-old colt Sultan of Swing (Justify) and a yearling filly by Yaupon. A half-sister to GI TVG Acorn Stake heroine Sweet Reason...

The Inglis Digital USA Sale, which opened Friday and concludes next Wednesday, April 8 at 2 p.m., offers an eye-catching entry in undefeated Shane's Wonder (Eastwood) from Bob Hutt's Uptowncharlybrown Stud LLC. Shane's Wonder won his Feb. 17 debut at Parx, going six-furlongs against state-bred maidens, by 11 1/2 lengths, and followed that up March 25 with a six-and-a-half furlong win against open allowance company by 3 1/4 lengths. Paramount Stud will consign the horse on behalf of owner-breeder Hutt and his partners, who are offering a 75% interest in...

From Kentucky to France to the Breeders' Cup last year, Outfielder (Speightstown) has always been well-regarded, and he made his return to the races a stylish one with a frontrunning masterclass in the Animal Kingdom Stakes. A buzz horse almost from day one, he was made a 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' at first-asking in late May last year when he went gate-to-wire by a commanding 6 1/4 lengths in a five-furlong maiden dash at Churchill Downs. Trainer Wesley Ward saw more than a glimmer of potential in his...