SPEIGHTSTER, recently purchased by Jay and Christine Hayden to stand at stud at Northern Dawn Farm in Hillsburgh, was humanely euthanized February 6 after suffering an irreparable injury to a hind leg in his stall.
The 10-year-old stallion arrived at Northern Dawn, owned by Sherry McLean in late January. The son of leading sire Speightstown was quickly filling up his book with Ontario breeders who were familiar with the horse. Speightster was in the top five of second-crop stallions in North America in 2021.
And Speightster had already made an impact in Canada as the sire of Aubrieta, winner of the Glorious Song Stakes at Woodbine, and Dreaming Of Drew, winner of the Princess Elizabeth Stakes at Woodbine.
In two crops of racing age, he is also the sire of stakes winners Door Buster, Tantrum and That Kenney Kid as well as the Grade 3-placed Tough To Tame.
Speightster’s racing career was one of brilliance, with a seven-length debut win at Keeneland, backed up with a 3 1/2-length victory over Grade 2 winner Joking in his next start in a Belmont Park allowance.
He remained undefeated in his third start when capturing the G3 Dwyer Stakes at Belmont Park over Grade 1 winner Texas Red.
Speightster’s family is one of Canadian royalty; out of the Danzig mare Dance Swiftly, he was a grandson of Canadian champion Classy ‘N Smart, also the dam of Grade 1 winner and leading sire Smart Strike as well as Canadian Horse of the Year and Hall of Famer Dance Smartly (dam of Canadian champion Dancethruthedawn).
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