Juvenile Turf Sprint Berth on Line in Speakeasy Stakes
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Photo: Coglianese Photos/
Amanzi Yimpilo wins her debut June 10 at Gulfstream Park
Of the six stakes at Santa Anita Park Sept. 26, the Speakeasy is the only ungraded one and offers the smallest purse at $100,000.
What it isn't short on is importance as a Breeders' Cup qualifier. The 5 1/2-furlong turf dash is a "Win and You're In" prep for the $1 million Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2T) at Keeneland Nov. 6.
The fifth race on Saturday's 11-race program, the Speakeasy drew a range of entrants. There are three first-time starters from the barn of trainer Doug O'Neill—The Great One, No Pedigree, and Basque Man; dirt-to-turf runners Fury Kap and Wyfire; Windy City Red, a first-out winner on synthetic; and Commander Khai, Amanzi Yimpilo, and Feathers, who have raced effectively on turf in California, New York, and Britain, respectively.
Like so many grass races for juveniles, the Speakeasy is a contest in which trainer Wesley Ward has a strong chance. He runs Amanzi Yimpilo—one of two fillies in the lineup, the other being the Peter Miller-trained Feathers—after she finished third in the Bolton Landing Stakes at Saratoga Race Course Aug. 19. Ward removes her blinkers after she wore them in her two previous starts.
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Ward, who won the 2019 Juvenile Turf Sprint with Four Wheel Drive, races the daughter of No Nay Never for owners Susan Moulton, Marc Detampel, and CJ Thoroughbreds.
Luis Saez, in from New York to ride Maximum Security in the Awesome Again Stakes (G1) later Saturday at Santa Anita, is aboard.
Gary Barber's Wyfire, a 3 1/2-length maiden winner going 5 1/2 furlongs on dirt at Del Mar Aug. 16, and Calvin Nguyen's Commander Khai, a gate-to-wire turf sprint winner there Sept. 4, have established Southern California form.
Along with Fury Kap and Feathers, Wyfire is one of several who were purchased by new owners since their most recent starts.