Speightster Still Undefeated With Dwyer Win

WinStar Farm's homebred Speightster stayed unbeaten in style July 4, besting Longines Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) winner Texas Red  by 2 1/2 lengths in the $500,000 Dwyer Stakes (gr. III) at Belmont Park.



The lightly raced 3-year-old son of Speightstown   broke his maiden impressively in his debut at Keeneland April 17, and then took an allowance event at Belmont June 5.



In his first stakes start and first at more than seven furlongs, Speightster and jockey Jose Lezcano sat just off early leader Hollywood Angel, who set fractions of :22.83 and :46.29 through a half mile, then took over through six furlongs in 1:10.92, and never let the hard-closing Texas Red within a length. The winner hit the wire in 1:35.13 for the one-turn mile over a fast track.

"I got a very good trip. I had a clean break and I sat in second," Lezcano said. "When I asked him, he really took off. I don't know how good he is. Every time I ask him for more, he gives it to me. Even galloping out, he galloped out in front of everybody. He did it easy."



Texas Red appeared loaded for a stretch drive, traveling four wide on the turn after tracking behind a group of five bunched near the front in the backstretch, but he could not get within striking distance of Speightster, who is trained by Bill Mott.

"We identified him as a nice 2-year-old last year and then we had to give him time, because he had bucked his shins," Mott said. "We sent him home for a good while and finally got him back to the races, and he's been perfect."



As the 2-1 second choice, Speightster paid $6.50, $3.60, and $2.70. Texas Red, the 9-5 favorite, brought $3.40 and $2.40. Tommy Macho finished third and delivered $2.90 to show.

Texas Red's connections were pleased with the colt's run when returning for his first race since a second-place finish to Lord Nelson in the Feb. 1 San Vicente Stakes (gr. II) at Santa Anita Park.

"I thought (his trip) was awesome," trainer Keith Desormeaux said of the Afleet Alex   colt. "That's a helluva time (and) you could see him running strong through the wire, and he's bred for a mile and quarter, so it's beautiful. A beautiful step to our ultimate goal which is the Travers (gr. I, Aug. 29 at Saratoga Race Course)."

"He was full of run. I was going faster under the wire than I was at the quarter-pole," jockey Kent Desormeaux added. "It was a very encouraging comeback. At the quarter-pole, I thought he was a stone winner."



Bred in Kentucky out of the Danzig mare Dance Swiftly, Speightster is three for three with earnings of $363,800.

After the race, Mott indicated Speightster could be pointed to the $500,000 King's Bishop Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga Aug. 29.

"That would be something we'd sure consider right now." Mott said. "He's gone seven furlongs, 6 1/2, and up to a mile, and he's undefeated."

Smart Transition closed to finish fourth, followed by Blofeld, Hollywood Angel, and Bridget's Big Luvy to complete the order of finish.