From the moment Charlatan (Speightstown) crossed the wire in his impressive Feb. 16 unveiling at Santa Anita, people started comparing him to Triple Crown winner Justify (Scat Daddy), who also made his first racetrack appearance in February of his 3-year-old year. The Bob Baffert-trained chestnut followed that effort with an allowance win going two turns, like Justify. While that Horse of the Year went on to win the GI Santa Anita Derby next out, before taking home the roses on the First Saturday in May of 2018, Charlatan was forced to take a different route due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 'TDN Rising Star' stamped his ticket to Churchill Downs for the first Saturday in September with a dominant victory in the first division of the GI Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Saturday.
Hammered down to 2-5 favoritism, Charlatan was away in perfect order from his rail draw and immediately seized command under Martin Garcia. The $700,000 KEESEP buy cruised along through opening splits of :22.88 and :46.08 with GI Hopeful S. hero Basin (Liam's Map) tracking from second and Anneau d'Or (Medaglia d'Oro) to his outside in third. Still under a hand ride entering the far turn, Charlatan showed the way into the lane with ears pricked and cruised clear through the final eighth of a mile to win for fun. It was six lengths back to Basin in second and 'TDN Rising Star' Gouverneur Morris (Constitution) completed the trifecta. It was the third Arkansas Derby win for Baffert who took the 2012 edition with Bodemeister and the 2015 renewal with Triple Crown hero American Pharoah. The Hall of Famer was a perfect three-for-three in Hot Springs Saturday, taking the second division of the Arkansas Derby with Nadal (Blame) and winning race seven with 'TDN Rising Star' Gamine (Into Mischief).
“Very exciting day, to say the least. I thought both horses were going to run really well,” Baffert said. “Charlatan, what a talent he is and how fast he is. I just loved the way, third out, to ship and to do that, what he did today–only the really good ones can do that. And Nadal, he came out of that race [Rebel]…he's a tough horse. There's a lot to him and he's a cool customer and I could see he's getting better and better. I just told [Joel] Rosario to just get him running away from there and if somebody just gets ridiculous, like I thought maybe Florent [Geroux], he would probably try to get the lead, but don't be worried about this horse sitting off a horse and he handled it well. Down the backside, I just loved the way he was. I figured if he was good enough, he can win from there. We just didn't want to go :22 and empty out. It worked out perfectly. I just want to thank the Cella family and Oaklawn Park for the fantastic job. Just fortunate and happy that they were able to split it and give everybody a chance to get some Derby points.”
“I can say I am really lucky to ride him,” Garcia said. “Mr. Baffert and the owners had a lot of choices. They pick me. I just did my job. He just took me to the winner's circle. They told me we were smoking. I went in 1:09 and he was just galloping. He did in all within himself. I felt someone coming at the 3/8ths and I let him go. He just took off. That's a sign of a really good horse.”
Charlatan turned heads in his debut win going six furlongs at Santa Anita Feb. 16, besting next-out winner Shooters Shoot (Competitive Edge)–who was scratched from this event–and earning a gaudy 105 Beyer Speed Figure. Tabbed a 'TDN Rising Star' in that effort, he proved that his career bow was no fluke, romping by 10 1/4 lengths for a 106 Beyer going a mile at Santa Anita Mar. 14.
Pedigree Notes:
Charlatan is the 112th black-type winner, 53rd graded winner and 18th Grade I winner for his sire Speightstown. He is also the 115th black-type victor and 42nd graded victor out of a daughter of Quiet American. Barbara Banke's Stonestreet Stables paid $1.2 million for MGSW & MGISP Authenticity at the 2013 Fasig-Tipton November sale, just days after she finished third to future Hall of Famer Beholder (Henny Hughes) in the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff. Her first foal was stakes winner Hanalei Moon (Malibu Moon) and she aborted a Speightstown foal in 2016. Producing Charlatan the following term, the 13-year-old mare had a Tapit colt now named Bennyfromthebronx in 2018, who summoned $300,000 from Field Point Associates at last year's Keeneland September Sale, and had an Into Mischief filly last May. Authenticity visited Stonestreet colorbearer Curlin last season.
Saturday, Oaklawn Park
ARKANSAS DERBY-GI, $500,000, Oaklawn, 5-2, 3yo, 1 1/8m, 1:48.49, ft.
1–CHARLATAN, 118, c, 3, by Speightstown
1st Dam: Authenticity (MGSW & MGISP, $883,362), by Quiet American
2nd Dam: Court of Appeal, by Deputy Minister
3rd Dam: Appealing Missy, by Lypheor (GB)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I
WIN. 'TDN Rising Star' ($700,000 Ylg '18 KEESEP). O-SF Racing
LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Stonestreet Stables
LLC, Frederick Hertrich, III, John D. Fielding & Golconda
Stables; B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC (KY); T-Bob
Baffert; J-Martin Garcia. $300,000. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0,
$367,200. *1/2 to Hanalei Moon (Malibu Moon), SW,
$295,090. Werk Nick Rating: C+.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Basin, 122, c, 3, Liam's Map–Appenzell, by Johannesburg.
($150,000 Ylg '18 KEESEP). O-Jackpot Farm; B-Cottonwood
Stables, LLC (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen. $100,000.
3–Gouverneur Morris, 118, c, 3, Constitution–Addison Run, by
Unbridled's Song. 'TDN Rising Star' ($200,000 Ylg '18 KEESEP;
$600,000 2yo '19 FTFMAR). O-Team Valor International &
WinStar Farm LLC; B-Machmer Hall, Carrie & Craig Brogden &
James F. Miller (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. $50,000.
Margins: 6, NK, 3. Odds: 0.40, 9.60, 4.10.
Also Ran: Winning Impression, Anneau d'Or, Crypto Cash, Mo Mosa, Jungle Runner, My Friends Beer. Scratched: Shooters Shoot, Wrecking Crew. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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