Speak Easy

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Trainer Brad Cox said he was listening to a radio show a few days ago and his ears perked up when the chat got to the upcoming GI Breeders' Cup Distaff at Del Mar in November. "They were talking about Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna) and Adare Manor (Uncle Mo) being a good matchup, and I was like, 'wow, she is completely forgotten," trainer Brad Cox said outside his barn at the Oklahoma Training Track Thursday morning. 'She' is Idiomatic (Curlin), and if anyone has put her...

Unraced since a gate scratch in the GII Coolmore Fountain of Youth Stakes in March, Speak Easy (Constitution) returned to the races off a six-month layoff Saturday to become the newest 'TDN Rising Star'. A dazzling debut winner going seven furlongs at Gulfstream in January, the WinStar and Siena Farm-owned colt tossed up a 100 Beyer Speed Figure in a race that has since produced Sir Barton Stakes winner Corporate Power (Curlin) and GIII Ohio Derby victor Batten Down (Tapit). Shortened to six furlongs for his first start back, Speak...

When entries were taken Feb. 24, the $400,000 GII Coolmore Fountain of Youth S. looked a tantalizing race in prospect, given the presence of 'TDN Rising Star' Locked (Gun Runner)--the GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity hero and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile third--and the resurgent GII Remsen S. winner Dornoch (Good Magic), not to mention a pair of clearly talented and unexposed rivals in the form of big-figure maiden winner Speak Easy (Constitution) and Victory Avenue (Arrogate), a close second that afternoon. By mid-morning Saturday, Locked and Victory Avenue had been scratched,...

Between them, Irad and Jose Ortiz have accounted for four of the last six runnings of the GII Coolmore Fountain of Youth S., the third of three preps on the road to the championship meeting's main event, the GI Curlin Florida Derby four weeks down the road. The brothers will have every chance to extend that dominance as they partner with two of the top fancies in Saturday's $400,000 contest, offering the winner 50 points and a virtual guaranteed berth in the field for the GI Kentucky Derby. Jose Ortiz...

7th-GP, $75K, A/OC, 3yo, 1 1/8m, 4:08 p.m. Courtlandt Farms' CONQUEST WARRIOR (City of Light) impressed in his Gulfstream debut Jan. 13 and earned 'TDN Rising Star' status for trainer Shug McGaughey. The $1,000,000 Keeneland September yearling bumps up into allowance company over the local main track Friday and adds an extra 1/8-mile to boot as he preps for a potential run at an upcoming GI Kentucky Derby prep. Conquest Warrior enters off a bullet five-furlong drill Feb. 24 (1:00 3/5 {1/7}). While main rival Speak Easy (Constitution) will scratch...

Siena Farm and WinStar Farm's Speak Easy (Constitution), who had been cross-entered in an optional-claimer Friday, will take his place in the line-up for Saturday's GII Coolmore Fountain of Youth S. at Gulfstream Park. The sophomore debuted with an impressive victory going seven furlongs at the Hallandale oval Jan. 27. He drew the rail and will be facing eight other 3-year-olds in the 1 1/16-miles Fountain of Youth. "We like the post and the way he's been training," trainer Todd Pletcher said Thursday. Irad Ortiz Jr., who was slated to...

4th-Gulfstream, $70,000, Msw, 2-24, 3yo, 1 1/8m, 1:51.08, ft, neck. CORPORATE POWER (c, 3, Curlin--Road to Victory {GSW-USA, SW-Can, $248,336}, by Quality Road), featured in Steve Sherack's 'Second Chances' series following a useful debut fourth-place finish behind the promising duo of Speak Easy (Constitution) and Victory Avenue (Arrogate) after getting bumped at the break going seven furlongs in a very live maiden special weight going seven furlongs on the Pegasus World Cup undercard Jan. 27, delivered as the 6-5 favorite in thrilling fashion here. Stretching out to 1 1/8 miles,...

In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Racing Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of promising maidens to keep on your radar. In a race completely dominated on the front end, Corporate Power (c, 3, Curlin--Road to Victory, by Quality Road) stamped himself as one to watch finishing with interest for fourth in an absolutely stacked maiden special weight on the Pegasus World Cup undercard at Gulfstream Park Jan. 27. Out of the blocks last of 11 at debut odds of 17-1 for Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey, the...

2nd-Gulfstream, $70,000, Msw, 1-27, 3yo, 7f, 1:21.96, ft, 1 3/4 lengths. SPEAK EASY (c, 3, Constitution--Fun {GISP, $128,729}, by Harlan's Holiday), an easy-in-the-market 83-10 from a 4-1 morning line, outfought the heavily favored fellow firster Victory Avenue (Arrogate) to open his account at first asking before the clock struck noon on Pegasus Day Saturday at Gulfstream Park. The chalk, a $375,000 OBS June purchase who was bet down to 3-2 from a 5-1 morning line in the same maiden won last year by Mage (Good Magic) for the same connections,...