Speak of the Devil Makes U.S. Debut in Distaff Turf
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Photo: Zuzanna Lupa Photography
Speak of the Devil sells at the 2021 Arqana Breeding Stock Sale
As is often the case in such a race as the Longines Churchill Distaff Turf Mile Stakes (G2T), the handicapping starts with a pair from the Chad Brown barn and an international angle.
This time around, Brown saddles two of the eight fillies and mares signed on for the fifth race on the May 7 program—In Italian and Speak of the Devil , both owned by Peter Brant and both well-fancied on the morning line.
Speak of the Devil, a 5-year-old mare by Wootton Bassett, makes her first U.S. start and can begin to repay the $2.2 million Brant laid out for her at the 2021Arqana December Breeding Stock Sale in France. That price was boosted by a series of commendable efforts among the best of the European females, including a third-place finish, beaten just a head, in the Prix Rothschild (G1) at Deauville in August.
Speak of the Devil's closing style won't be compromised by the outside gate. Nor will it be hurt by having In Italian, a confirmed front-runner, right to her inside to ensure a lively pace. In Italian, a 4-year-old filly by Dubawi , is riding a three-race winning streak that saw her dictate the pace in the Honey Fox Stakes (G3T) at Gulfstream Park in her last start before going clear to win by 1 1/4 lengths.
Flavien Prat takes the reins on Speak of the Devil while Irad Ortiz Jr. gets the return call on In Italian.
In Italian may find the lead a little harder to acquire in the Churchill Downs engagement with Lady Speightspeare breaking right to her inside. Although a lunging start compromised her chances in her last outing, the Jenny Wiley Stakes (G1T) at Keeneland, the 4-year-old Speightstown filly normally is right near the pace.
While those tactics have stood her in good stead, all four of Lady Speightspeare's victories have come at Woodbine and one of those was on the all-weather track.
While In Italian was bred in England and raced in Florida, another competitor in the Distaff Turf Mile, Wakanaka , was bred amongst the leprechauns and raced in Italy. She posted six wins and two seconds during her Italian career and was sold privately to Team Valor International and Gary Barber after winning the Italian Premio Regina Elena Italian One Thousand Guineas (G3) in April of 2021.
Trainer Bill Mott, who has won the Distaff Turf Mile a record four times, tossed Wakanaka right into the deep end in her first U.S. start and she finished an even sixth in the TAA Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf Invitational Stakes Presented by PEPSI (G3T) in January. She followed that with a second, behind only In Italian, in the Honey Fox.
The others might need to find a little more to figure in this heat but a couple bear watching.
Trainer Shug McGaughey brings Flower Point , a 6-year-old Point of Entry mare, from New York off a close third in the Plenty of Grace Stakes at Aqueduct. And Illinois-based Chris Block has developed a reputation for upsetting races like this with Exhibit A being his contender here, She Can't Sing . The Bernardini mare won her last two starts in New Orleans, including a 24-1 surprise in the Albert M. Stall Memorial Stakes two starts back.
Churchill Downs, Saturday, May 07, 2022, Race 5Entries: Longines Churchill Distaff Turf Mile S. (G2T)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1She Can't Sing (KY)
Manuel Franco
118
Chris M. Block
10/1
2
2Flower Point (KY)
Joel Rosario
118
Claude R. McGaughey III
8/1
3
3Mona Stella (FL)
Florent Geroux
118
Patrick L. Biancone
20/1
4
4Abscond (KY)
Tyler Gaffalione
118
Eddie Kenneally
20/1
5
5Wakanaka (IRE)
Jose L. Ortiz
118
William I. Mott
6/1
6
6Lady Speightspeare (KY)
Luis Saez
118
Roger L. Attfield
5/2
7
7In Italian (GB)
Irad Ortiz, Jr.
118
Chad C. Brown
3/1
8
8Speak of the Devil (FR)
Flavien Prat
118
Chad C. Brown
2/1
