Woodbine: Shirl's Speight A Rising Star and Two Sixty Does a 180

“I’ve been excited about this horse from last year, to be honest with you.” – trainer ROGER ATTFIELD on SHIRL’S SPEIGHT

Saturday at Woodbine had so much for everyone, from rising star performances by serious racehorses, longshot prices and payoffs, and some deft riding skills.

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The only things missing were owners and fans who still cannot go to the barn area or the racetrack due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

SHIRL’S SPEIGHT has burst onto the racing scene as a 3-year-old this year for owner and breeder Charles Fipke, who was presented with the E P Taylor Award of Merit by the Jockey Club of Canada this spring. He’s not overly big and his name may cause some to think he may be a gal, but this is one talented colt.

Three weeks after a sensational debut win in a 7 furlong turf maiden race, Shirl’s Speight (Speightstown – Perfect Shirl by Perfect Soul (Ire)) successfully negotiated 1 1/16 miles on the Tapeta and won the Grade 3 Marine Stakes July 25 in the very fast time of 1:43.42.

Sent off as the even-money choice in the Marine, Shirl’s Speight broke sharply from the outside gate and tracked pacesetter Untitled through early splits of :24.59 and :48.68.

The front-end battle continued through three-quarters in 1:12.34 as the duo further distanced themselves from their five rivals.

Shirl’s Speight easily took control soon after, holding a three-length advantage at track announcer Robert Geller’s stretch call, going on to record a victory that looked much easier than the 2 ¾-length margin at the wire.

Lucky Curlin, the 2-1 second choice on the tote board, was second, while Queen’s Plate-eligible Dotted Line finished a very good third for owner Howard Walton.

“Like I said before, he’s a horse with a tremendous amount of ability,” said Attfield, who earned his record fifth Marine, and first since 1993 (Cheery Knight). “He just had that one race and he never learned anything from that race. He did get the experience from it, so today was going to be more interesting.”

The ageless Hall of Fame conditioner felt confident in his horse’s chances ahead of the race, and even more so after the race was underway.

“He settled down and rated. Once he got to the five-eighths pole, I was pretty sure he’d just keep galloping around there. He’s a very nice horse, for sure.”

“I’ve been excited about this horse from last year, to be honest with you. He was always the workmate with Mr. Hustle, who finished up as [2019 Canadian] champion two-year-old, and he [Shirl’s Speight] always looked like he might be the stronger of the two, and just sprinting. I said, ‘He’ll stay. This horse will stay.’ I was pretty sure he’d stay. But I had to put him away because he got jarred up and he needed some time. I couldn’t wait to get him back this spring because I’ve been thinking about this horse all winter.”

Perfect Shirl won Attfield’s only Breeders’ Cup score when she took the Filly & Mare turf for Fipke. She is a daughter of the top mare Lady Shirl. Perfect Shirl’s three previous foals include one winner.

The Grade 3 Selene Stakes later in the afternoon was not as formful but put on display a superb showcase of riding by Emma-Jayne Wilson who lulled the field of 3-year-olds fillies to sleep on Gary Barber’s TWO SIXTY (Uncaptured – Jim’s Lonesa by Put It Back) and stole the $75,000 winner’s share.

The victory marks the third straight in the Selene for the trainer-owner combination of Mark Casse and Gary Barber, and second in a row for jockey Emma-Jayne Wilson, who also won last year’s edition in rein to Power Gal.

One of three Casse trainees in the field of seven, Two Sixty (presumably named for her purchase price of $260,000) set out on a front-end mission in the 1-1/16-mile main track stakes event for three-year-old fillies, posting splits of :24.12, :48.81 and 1:13.36 en route to the three-quarter-length triumph. The final time was 1:45.01.

Kentucky-bred maiden Saratoga Vision, owned by Alex Patykewich and bred by Charles Fipke, the longest shot on the board at 84-1, slipped between horses and found a seam towards the rail to close for second-place honours just ahead of the favoured Woodbine Oaks and Queen’s Plate eligibles Owlette and Merveilleux.

Tabbed by some as the rabbit for the other Casse trainees, Two Sixty was left alone on the pace. Owlette, a multiple sprint stakes winner coming off the Star Shoot Stakes win over Oaks fave Curlin’s Voyage, had her blinkers taken off by trainer Wesley Ward for this second try at the route distance. And while she was on the lead in her latest in 44 3/5 for the half mile, she was taken back off 48 4/5 in the Selene.

“It was clear on paper that Owlette was going to be pace, but they took the blinkers off. So right off the hop, I wanted to get away and set myself at the front with conviction and that’s what happened,” said Wilson. “As we eased into the backstretch, I took a little bit of a hold of her. I glanced between my legs and saw that I had a length or so of daylight that I could ease back and have her take a breather. She pricked her ears as we came around the three-quarter pole top of the backstretch and it was great. And then I just waited to hear them… waited to hear them… waited to hear them… waited to hear them… She dug hard, she ran fast and she held them off.”

Two Sixty was making just her second start at Woodbine having been fourth in the Star Shoot behind Owlette. She was at Tampa Bay Downs during the winter, winning the Gasparilla Stakes at 7 furlongs before she was well beaten in 2 subsequent races.

Merveilleux, held in high regard by trainer Kevin Attard, was also a victim of the slow pace as well as a wide trip.

“I’m disappointed in our performance,” Attard told Canadian Thoroughbred. “We encountered a very wide trip and Emma did a great job of slowing down the pace. We will regroup and make adjustments.”

Merveilleux (Paynter – Breech Inlet by Holy Bull) had defeated older horses in her season debut in a big effort.

“I’m very confident in this filly and although it was a bit of a let down, assuming she comes out of this race well we will head to the Oaks in 3 weeks time.”

More Saturday:

RED HIERARCHY has burst onto the local scene just as Shirl’s Speight has. This Ontario-sired and bred chestnut gelding, splashed with chrome, came back 13 days off a huge maiden win July 12 and won this non-winners of 2 in equally impressive fashion. Both wins have come at 6 1/2 furlongs under Justin Stein.

Owned and bred by Howard Walton’s Norseman Racing Stable, which owns the sire Signature Red, Red Hierarchy is trained by Jamie Attard. Saturday, the gelding won again by 6 lengths this time in 1:15.67.

His unplaced dam Majestic Red is a Rahy gal and half sister to Walton’s champion 2-year-old Maritimer of 2011 whom he sold to overseas interests.

Justin Stein won 4 races to move into second behind Rafael Hernandez on the leading rider list.

Trainer Liz Elder won her first race of the meeting with just her second starter. FLAWLESS PINK won her debut in a 2-year-old maiden race coming from well off the pace under Stein to defeat the unlucky Nero Davola. Owned by Cudney Stables and bred by Charles Fipke, the Not Bourbon filly from the Candy Ride mare Co was a CTHS yearling sale purchase for $20,000 by Richard Hogan.

The filly’s third dam is champion Serena’s Song.

DR. ALBERT AGRO won his first race as an owner with his homebred PACENZA, a bay filly by Creative Cause – Princess Severus (Ire) by Barathea. This gal was making her second career start, first with Lasix and first on turf and she won in a frantic finish under Stein.

Princess Severus was a $27,000 purchase in foal to Creative Cause by Joshman Farms. She was sold last year for $12,000 in foal to Air Force Blue. Kevin Attard trains.

There was more Kevin later as AFLEET KATHERINE remained undefeated, winning another turf sprint to go 2 for 2 in her career for Terra Racing. She is an Afleet Alex filly who drew in from the also eligible list.