Japan: Shirl's Speight a rare bird in February Stakes
A game second in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Keeneland in November showed that Shirl’s Speight can be competitive in an international race.
Owner Charles Fipke is out to prove that point in a spectacular manner this weekend.
Shirl’s Speight will start outside of North America for the first time in Sunday’s Grade 1 February Stakes at a mile on dirt at Tokyo Racecourse in Japan. Shirl’s Speight, a 6-year-old horse trained by Roger Attfield, is the only foreign runner in a field of 16 in the $1.73 million February Stakes.
The race has long-term ramifications for American racing. The winner receives a fees-paid berth to the Breeders’ Cup Classic at 1 1/4 miles at Santa Anita on Nov. 4.
Japan has a small number of stakes open to international runners, notably the Japan Cup on turf each November. Attfield told Japanese media earlier this week that a trip to the February Stakes was Fipke’s idea.
“He was quite adamant that he wanted to try him on the dirt here,” Attfield said.
A start on dirt is not new for Shirl’s Speight, a winner of 5 of 14 starts. Last June, Shirl’s Speight was third by 6 1/4 lengths in the Grade 3 Salvator Mile at Monmouth Park, finishing well behind Mind Control and Hot Rod Charlie.
Shirl’s Speight’s best races last year were on turf. Aside from a loss by three-quarters of a length at 55-1 in the BC Mile, Shirl’s Speight won the Grade 1 Maker’s Mark Mile on turf at Keeneland last April.
Shirl’s Speight has trained on the dirt track at Tokyo Racecourse in recent days. Before leaving Attfield’s winter base in Florida for Japan, Shirl’s Speight had two quick five-furlong breezes at Payson Park in Florida, in 1:01.80 on Jan. 22 and 1:01.20 on Feb. 5. Both were the fastest of the mornings from a small number of workers.
Attfield told Japanese media that Shirl’s Speight appears to handle the Tokyo surface, which he describes as a “deeper sand going.”
“I was a little concerned when my assistant told me how deep the dirt was out here,” Attfield said. “When he broke from the gate the other day, he ran a few furlongs and he seemed to handle it very well. I just have my fingers crossed.
“If he can run to his true ability, he will be very competitive, but it is an unknown to me.”
Shirl’s Speight drew post 2 and will be ridden by Joao Moreira, one of Hong Kong’s top riders in the last decade.
The leading Japanese runner is Lemon Pop, a Kentucky-bred by Lemon Drop Kid who has won 7 of 10 starts, with all the wins coming in eight starts on the dirt track at Tokyo Racecourse.
Owned by Godolphin Racing, Lemon Pop won the Derma Grade 3 Negishi Stakes at seven furlongs at Tokyo on Jan. 29 in his first start of the year, closing from fifth in a field of 16 to win by a half-length.
There will be support for Dry Stout, a winner of 4 of 6 starts who will have his graded stakes debut in the February Stakes. Dry Stout is unbeaten in two starts in allowance races at seven furlongs on dirt at Tokyo.
The February Stakes has a post time of 1:40 a.m. Eastern on Sunday or 10:40 p.m. Pacific on Saturday.
Earlier on the Tokyo program, the $269,827 Hyacinth Stakes for 3-year-olds at a mile will lead to major changes in the rankings of Japanese candidates for the Kentucky Derby.
The Hyacinth Stakes is the third of four qualifying races for the Kentucky Derby in Japan. One berth is available for the Kentucky Derby through the points system. The first five finishers of the Hyacinth Stakes will be awarded points on a 30-12-9-6-3 scale.
Derma Sotogake leads the standings with 20 points, based on a win in the Nisai Yushun Stakes at Kawasaki Racecourse in December, but is not among the nominees for the Hyacinth.
Omatsuri Otoko and Perriere, second and third in the Nisai Yushun, are nominated for the Hyacinth Stakes.
Four Japanese-based horses have started in the Kentucky Derby, including Master Fencer, who was sixth in 2019, and Crown Pride, who was 13th in 2022. Master Fencer qualified for the Kentucky Derby through the Japanese prep races. Crown Pride qualified by winning the UAE Derby in Dubai last March.
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