Shirl's Speight Out of Kentucky Derby Due to Illness
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Photo: Michael Burns
Shirl's Speight wins the Marine Stakes at Woodbine
Canadian-based Shirl's Speight was pulled from consideration for the Sept. 5 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) at Churchill Downs after becoming sick, trainer Roger Attfield said Aug. 29. The setback is not believed serious.
The unbeaten 3-year-old Speightstown colt "started coughing and was full of mucus this morning. We had to put him on antibiotics so it's all over," Attfield said of the Derby dream.
Winner of a July 4 maiden race on turf at Woodbine and the July 25 Marine Stakes (G3) there, Shirl's Speight vaulted into the Derby picture earlier this month following the ease of his two victories and when it became apparent the race was unlikely to attract its customary full gate of 20 horses. Had the race drawn more than 20, Shirl's Speight could have been excluded, lacking any Derby qualifying points.
His defection leaves 18 horses as potential starters for the COVID-19-postponed race, according to Churchill Downs publicity. One of them, Rushie, could instead run in the Pat Day Mile Presented by LG&E and KU (G2) on the Derby undercard.
Rushie's trainer, Michael McCarthy, texted that a decision on whether the colt runs in the Derby or Pat Day Mile could come by Aug. 30.
Shirl's Speight would have given Attfield, 80, a Hall of Famer and eight-time Sovereign Award winner in Canada, just his second starter in the Derby. Talkin Man ran 12th for him in 1995.
"2020 hasn't been a very good year for any of us, I don't think. It's always something," the trainer said.
Owner-breeder Charles Fipke, a 74-year-old geologist, had hoped to have his fourth starter in the Derby. A self-described "horse addict," the owner's first Derby starter was Anak Nakal, who ran seventh in 2008, and five years later in 2013, his 3-year-olds Golden Soul and Java's War were second and 13th, respectively.
Attfield said Fipke took Saturday's disappointing news in stride.
"He was fine," Attfield said. "He's been doing this long enough to know that these things happen. That's just the way it is."