Chuck Fipke's Lady Speightspeare, named a 'TDN Rising Star' for an impressive frontrunning debut victory, backed that distinction up with a gusty success in Sunday's GI Natalma S. at Woodbine, punching her ticket to the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf in the “Win and You're In” event.
Unveiled as a 22-5 chance going seven furlongs over this course Aug. 22, the chestnut dictated terms and drew away down the lane to a 3 3/4-length graduation, with the runner-up also finishing six clear of the remainder. Drilling a sharp five-furlong bullet in :58 3/5 (1/7) over the Woodbine training turf Sept. 13, she was made a fractional favorite over morning-line choice and local Catch A Glimpse S. heroine Alda.
Breaking smartly after acting up in the gate, Lady Speightspeare was taken into the clear by Emma-Jayne Wilson and tracked longshot Big Big Plans from a close-up second through splits of :23.77 and :47.92. It briefly looked as though the frontrunner would steal away midway around the turn, but Lady Speightspeare drew alongside her by the time heads pointed for home. Going on with it entering the final furlong, she was attacked late by Alda from her outside, but stayed on strongly to hold that rival at bay.
“In the starting gate, she acted up a little bit, but [it] was a testament to her intent. Last time she ran, she was such a racehorse,” said Wilson. “She broke through the pack early and went to the lead with such intent, I think it was the same thing today in the gate. She knew it was coming, they yelled 'last one,' she was anticipating the doors to open so she popped up a little. The doors opened and I just kind of put my hands down and the outside horse out-stepped her the first little bit and she showed that composure of a racehorse, she knew that she was going to get a chance to run and I had a chance to let that horse cross over and just put her right on her flank and she settled into stride, got into rhythm and, man, when they started to come to her, just like last time, she really leveled off and dug in.”
Pedigree Notes:
Now one of 116 stakes winners, 57 graded stakes winners and 19 Grade I winners for WinStar stalwart Speightstown, Lady Speightspeare is the first black-type performer out of Lady Shakespeare, victress of the 2009 Ontario Colleen S. over this course and the GII New York S. and GIII Grey Goose Bewitch S. in 2010. She is a half-sister to Perfect Shirl (Perfect Soul {Ire}), who carried the Fipke colors to victory in the 2011 GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf, and a full-sister to MGISW Shakespeare, who took the GI Woodbine Mile S. here as a 6-year-old in 2017. Second dam Lady Shirl was a GISW over turf as well. Lady Shakespeare has a yearling More Than Ready filly and foaled a colt by the same sire Mar. 28 before visiting Bee Jersey.
Sunday, Woodbine
NATALMA S.-GI, C$253,000, Woodbine, 9-20, 2yo, f, 1mT, 1:34.61, fm.
1–LADY SPEIGHTSPEARE, 121, f, 2, by Speightstown
1st Dam: Lady Shakespeare (MGSW-USA, SW-Can, $495,608), by Theatrical (Ire)
2nd Dam: Lady Shirl, by That's a Nice
3rd Dam: Canonization, by Native Heritage
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I WIN. O/B-Charles Fipke (KY); T-Roger L. Attfield; J-Emma-Jayne Wilson. C$150,000. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $146,394. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Alda, 121, f, 2, by Munnings&log=#tot">Munnings
1st Dam: Soldata, by Maria's Mon
2nd Dam: Soldera, by Polish Numbers
3rd Dam: La Pepite, by Mr. Prospector
O/B-Wertheimer et Frere (KY); T-H. Graham Motion. C$50,000.
3–Seasons, 121, f, 2, by Tapit
1st Dam: Winter Memories, by El Prado (Ire)
2nd Dam: Memories of Silver, by Silver Hawk
3rd Dam: All My Memories, by Little Current
O-LNJ Foxwoods & Phillips Racing Partnership; B-Phillips Racing Partnership (KY); T-James J. Toner. C$27,500.
Margins: 3/4, 2 3/4, HD. Odds: 2.50, 2.60, 5.05.
Also Ran: Dreaming of Drew, Sleek Lynx (GB), Stunning Princess, Big Big Plans.
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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