TDN RISING STARS

July 27, 2024 - Saratoga, Race 4, Alw, USD $110,000, 6F, NW1$X

Speak Easy, C, 3, 2021 by Constitution

1st Dam: Fun, by Harlan's Holiday
2nd Dam: Home Run, by Empire Maker
3rd Dam: Ninth Inning, by Meadowlake

Owner: Siena Farm LLC and WinStar Farm LLC
Breeder: WinStar Farm, LLC (KY)
Trainer: Todd A. Pletcher

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 Easy was outrun by runners on all sides from the middle of the gate and quickly found himself in the second flight while kept just to the outside of the field to avoid the kickback. A solo fifth into the far turn as Mariachi (Maclean's Music) paced the leaders, the 3-5 favorite had plenty to do to keep up but began to eat into the gap midway around the turn and fanned out five-wide past the quarter pole. Under only a shake of the reins from Irad Ortiz, Jr., Speak Easy began to gobble up the ground down the center of the track, drew past an embattled Mariachi at the sixteenth marker and won going away with his ears pricked on the line to stay perfect in his young career.

The 11th 'TDN Rising Star' for WinStar stallion Constitution, who was a 'Rising Star' himself, Speak Easy is the second foal and only winner to date out of GI Darley Alcibiades Stakes third Fun (Harlan's Holiday) who was purchased by WinStar Farm for $400,000 at FTKNOV in 2017. Fun is a half to stakes winner Home Run Maker (Into Mischief) and to the dam of stakes-placed colt Open Road (Quality Road). She has an unraced 2-year-old filly named Geaux Amy (Improbable), a yearling Twirling Candy colt and foaled a filly by Jack Christopher this year before visiting Americanrevolution for 2025.