Speightstown

Olympiad
Sunday's Racing Insights: Full-Sister to Olympiad Debuts at Gulfstream

4th-GP, $84k, Msw, 3yo, f, 1 1/16m, 2:19 p.m. ET. Star Actress (Justify), a full-sister to champion 2-year-old filly and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies heroine Just F Y I, stretches to two turns for her second career start for Bill Mott. The George Krikorian homebred rallied from seventh to finish a close second on debut going seven furlongs at Gulfstream Feb. 8. She earned a 73 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort. The aforementioned Just F Y I brought $4.5 million from Katsumi Yoshida at the 2025 Fasig-Tipton November...

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First Foal for Darby Dan Farm's Grade I Winner Shirl's Speight

Darby Dan Farm's Shirl's Speight (Speightstown--Perfect Shirl, by Perfect Soul {Ire}), sired his first reported foal when a filly out of the multiple stakes-placed Ultimate Class (Durling) was born at Crupper Bloodstock in Paris, Kentucky, on Feb. 9. The filly's dam amassed earnings of $283,253 during her racing career and she has also produced multiple graded stakes-placed Bad Beat Brian who has banked $865,158. "I was very pleased with this filly from the moment she stood," said Megan Morrison, Crupper Bloodstock, of the first arrival by Shirl's Speight. "Even in...

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D'code Heads Straight to the Big Leagues in Rescheduled Southwest

D'code (Speightstown), a jaw-dropping 8 1/4-length debut winner sprinting at Oaklawn Park Dec. 14, will make his highly anticipated two-turn debut in Friday's postponed $1-million GIII Southwest S. in Hot Springs. The Tom Durant homebred and 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' earned a field-best 99 Beyer Speed Figure while defeating 10 rivals that day. He recorded the fastest six-furlong time in Oaklawn history for a 2-year-old stopping the clock in 1:09.57. D'code exits from post two with Luis Saez at the controls in the 1 1/16-mile affair, good for...

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All Hail the Queen of Downhill Green: Queen Maxima Struts Her Stuff in Las Cienegas

Heavily favored Queen Maxima added a third graded stakes to her resume and continued her dominance of the downhill turf course at Santa Anita with a professional victory in the GIII Las Cienegas Stakes Sunday. The chestnut mare, now a winner of eight of 13 lifetime starts--and five of six at Santa Anita--broke alertly and took up a stalking position in second behind pacesetting Princesa Moche. The duo remained one-two until turning into the stretch and passing the dirt crossing when Queen Maxima surged ahead, ultimately beating that stubborn rival...

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Saturday Insights: Abilene Has Texas-Sized Chances If Rains Come

4th-FG, $54k, Msw, 3yo, f, 1mT, 3:15 p.m. ET Spendthrift Farm's ABILENE (Gun Runner) is one of three entered for main track only and may well gain a run is forecast rains pay a visit. A maternal granddaughter of champion and GI Kentucky Derby victress Winning Colors (Caro {Ire}), the gray filly is a half-sister to 2018 GI Alabama Stakes upsetter Eskimo Kisses (To Honor and Serve); SW Princess Aliyah (Into Mischief); and GISP Silver Ride (Candy Ride {Arg}) and was purchased for $900,000 at the 2024 Keeneland September Sale....

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WinStar Farm Welcomes Speedy New Trio

Throughout its history, WinStar Farm's stallion program has been anchored by raw speed, with champion Speightstown and fellow sprinting specialist Distorted Humor among some of the first sires to define the farm's identity. As WinStar wraps up its 25th anniversary this year, the blueprint is much the same. Patch Adams, Mullikin and Straight No Chaser are the latest Grade I-winning sprinters set to join the roster. Two of the recruits carry the direct influence of the aforementioned cornerstone sires and the third is out of a mare by Congrats, another...

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Speightstown's D'code Rolls to Rising Star Score in Oaklawn Unveiling

Sent off the 9-5 favorite for his unveiling at Oaklawn Park on Sunday, D'code (Speightstown) ran off to an open-lengths victory over fellow firster Silver Prince (Cairo Prince) in this TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard-earning performance. Exiting post 12 in this six-furlong test, D'code had his head as a host of juveniles prompted the issue to his inside through an initial quarter in :22 flat. Easily dispensing with his nearest pursuer Reclamation (Caracaro) approaching the quarter pole, the grey showed his superiority late, drawing away under a hand ride...

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Stallion Echo Town Relocated To Stand In Arkansas For 2026

Echo Town (by Speightstown), the winner of the GI H. Allen Jerkens, was purchased by Tyree Wolesensky and has relocated to her Leadem Farm in Arkansas for the 2026 breeding season, according to a release from Vinery Sales on Friday. Brokered by Vinery's Jay Goodwin, Echo Town has arrived in Arkansas and is ready for inspection. He will stand the 2026 season for $3,500. "Just really excited for Arkansas breeders to have a Grade I-winning sprinter with that pedigree, who has already proven the ability to sire precocious graded stakes...

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Segesta Caps Del Mar's Closing Weekend with Matriarch Score

Continuing the powerful run during Del Mar's closing weekend of racing, trainer Chad Brown and Juddmonte once again held the winning card in the day's feature, taking Sunday's GI Matriarch Stakes with Segesta (Ghostzapper), a half-sister to Saturday's GI Hollywood Derby winner, Salamis (Speightstown). In Our Time (Not This Time) and Ag Bullet (Twirling Candy) went to the front early as 8-5 choice Segesta was allowed to settle in fourth through :23.65 and :48.06 initial splits. With the 25-1 still cruising along up front through a half in :48.06, the...

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Breeders' Cup Works: Six Pre-Entrants Put in Final Moves at Keeneland, Santa Anita

Six hopefuls pre-entered into their respective Breeders' Cup races turned in final works Saturday morning at Keeneland, and connections are reporting positive prognoses ahead of shipping dates. On the dirt track went Bentornato (Valiant Minister), breezing four furlongs in :49.40 (34/89). Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. was in the irons. The 4-year-old is pre-entered into the GI Cygames Breeders' Cup Sprint and is looking to improve a placing from last year as the runner-up in the 2024 edition. "[I was] looking for a nice, easy workout," trainer Jose D'Angelo said. "We...

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Uptown Rhythem at Rancho San Miguel
California's Uptown Rythem to Rancho San Miguel

Uptown Rythem (Speightstown--Listen to My Song, by Unbridled's Song), who previously stood at Harris Farms, has been relocated to stand at Rancho San Miguel in Central California for the 2026 breeding season. He will stand for $1,500, live foal guarantee. From extremely modest crops, Uptown Rythem's Average Earnings Index of 1.19 is among the best in California. His unraced dam is a half-sister to the dam of 2017 GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes winner La Coronel (Colonel John) from the extended family of 2025 GI Blue Grass Stakes...

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Saturday Insights: Outfielder Tries the Dirt at Keeneland

3rd-KEE, $120k, Alw (N2L), 2yo, 6f, post time: 2:04 p.m. ET Amo Racing USA, Wesley Ward and Two Eight Racing's OUTFIELDER (Speightstown) was scratched out of Friday's GIII Futurity Stakes in favor of trying the main track for the first time in a two-lifetime allowance at Keeneland. The $850,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga graduate was named a 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard at first asking when streaking away by better than a half-dozen lengths sprinting on the grass at Churchill in May, but was forced to skip Royal Ascot and was...

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