Speed Shopper Dazzles in Keeneland's Bewitch Stakes
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Photo: Coady Media/Renee Torbit
Speed Shopper wins the Bewitch Stakes, the feature race on the closing-day card at Keeneland
Speed Shopper most assuredly has found her lane.
Since being stretched out to longer turf races, Speed Shopper has registered consistent victories and top finishes. That continued April 24 when the 5-year-old daughter of Quality Road rallied wide in the third and final turn to win the $348,750 Bewitch Stakes (G3T) on the Keeneland turf.
The 1 1/4-length victory in the 1 1/2-mile turf test for fillies and mares marked a quick bounce back from a third-place finish in the Orchid Stakes (G3T) in late March at Gulfstream Park, as Speed Shopper secured her third stakes win in her past four starts for owners Gary Barber, Bridlewood Farm, and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners.
The victory provided a milestone win for Eclipse Thoroughbreds, which received the Keeneland tray that recognizes eight graded stakes wins at the track. Eclipse is the 28th owner to secure the award with Barber securing the tray earlier this meet.
As for Friday's test, Speed Shopper broke from the outside post in the field of eight, with the scratch of Just Basking, the 9-2 third choice on the morning line. Initially wide, jockey John Velazquez found some room about midturn to save some ground early.
Virgin Colada enjoyed an open lead through a half-mile in :49.10 before bolting entering the backstretch. Then Triumphant Spirit rushed to lead and continued through a mile in 1:39.83 while Speed Shopper rated in fifth. With few options inside, Velazquez confidently moved Speed Shopper up on the outside on the final turn, where she rallied four wide before driving clear for a largely celebratory run through the stretch.
"She's just transformed into this ... just whatever we ask her to do, whatever contest we put in front of her, she steps up to the plate," said winning trainer Will Walden. "It doesn't matter how wide she's drawn. The first time we ran her three turns, she was drawn 10 of 10. But she's just always stepped forward and stepped up to the plate."
Walden thanked the owners as well as Velazquez, noting, "We just couldn't be more grateful to have her in the barn." He said the New York Stakes (G1T) June 5 at Saratoga Race Course could be next. That would mark her grade 1 debut.
Speed Shopper, sent off the 8-5 favorite, was followed home by longshot Golden Sunshine , who earned her first graded stakes placing; and two-time stakes winner Way to Be Marie in third. Speed Shopper completed the 1 1/2-mile test in 2:29 on firm turf.
Virgin Colada was pulled up but walked off the course.
The victory improves Speed Shopper's career record to 4-2-2 from 11 starts and earnings of $525,953. But since moving to her specialty, it's been even better.
After losing her first four career starts, Speed Shopper landed a 4-length maiden special weight win when stretched out to 1 3/8 miles on the turf last summer at Saratoga. She's added victories in half of her six starts since then and has only been off the board once since Walden has pointed her to distance races on the turf (and the all-weather surface at Turfway Park.)
Bred in Kentucky by AR Enterprises and Edward Easton, Speed Shopper is out of the winning Malibu Moon mare Fast Retailing, a half sister to grade 1 winner Power Broker . The family also boasts classic winner Seize the Grey .
Speed Shopper sold for $430,000 to the current owners at the 2022 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, where she was consigned by Bluegrass Thoroughbred Services.
Milestone win
Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners founder and president Aron Wellman said earning the tray means a lot to him.
"It's sort of one of those milestones that you reflect on," Wellman said. "I remember being here the first fall that we had horses, when In Lingerie won the (2012) Spinster Stakes and Gary Barber was our partner at that time. So for him to be part of this filly, wow. He got his own tray this meet as well.
Aron Wellman (right of the award) accepts the Keeneland tray on behalf of Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners
"So it's all in the family, Bridlewood Farm, the Malone family, George Isaacs, have been so supportive of us as well. So to do it all together, and of course with our Eclipse partners, is extremely meaningful. Then with this horse, it really feels great."