Volatile's Speed King Pulls the Upset to Score at First-Asking at Churchill

5th-Churchill Downs, $123,375, Msw, 11-1, 2yo, 6f, 1:10.25, ft, 2 1/4 lengths.
SPEED KING (c, 2, Volatile–Athenian Beauty, by Corinthian) defied the betting public's 22-1 odds here with a frontrunning score in this unveiling beneath the Twin Spires.

Bumped leaving the gate, but able to recover quickly enough to step forward to set the pace, the grey put space between himself and the field via :22.25 and :45.78 opening fractions. Entering the lane with a 2 1/2-length margin, he greenly but gamely hung on to win despite lingering on his left lead. Kalahari Dreams (Country House) got up to claim second as the 8-5 favorite.

Speed King is the most recent to the races for his dam, who has produced one other winner. She has a yearling filly by Cairo Prince to her credit as well as a 2024 filly by Early Voting. She was bred to Caracaro for 2025. Sales history: $85,000 Wlg '22 KEENOV; $30,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP; $100,000 2yo '24 OBSAPR. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $69,000. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
O-Triton Thoroughbreds LLC; B-Nancy C. Shuford (KY); T-Ron Moquett.

 

Speed King upsets in Race 5 to break his maiden in his first start. 🤴@EMoralesRacing was aboard for @RonMoquett pic.twitter.com/ZFFZICflc6

— Churchill Downs (@ChurchillDowns) November 1, 2024