Mr Speaker formidable in Pennine Ridge Stakes

ELMONT, N.Y. – It was not so much in victory as it was in defeat when trainer Shug McGaughey learned the quality of his 3-year-old Mr Speaker.

In the Grade 3 Palm Beach Stakes at Gulfstream on March 1, Mr Speaker was bothered in the early stages, and shuffled back to last. He came with a strong, albeit wide, late run to finish second, one-half length behind Gala Award.

“That was when I knew he was a good horse. He overcame everything. He got murdered leaving the gate and got way the hell out of it and came running,” McGaughey said. “He just missed.”

Off that race, Mr Speaker dominated the Grade 3 Lexington Stakes over Keeneland’s synthetic surface and brings that sharp form into Monday’s $200,000 Pennine Ridge Stakes at Belmont Park.

The Pennine Ride is a newly created race and serves as a prep for the $1.25 million Belmont Derby Invitational, at 1 1/4 miles on turf, scheduled for July 5.

McGaughey said he ran Mr Speaker in the Lexington because he didn’t want the horse go nearly three months without a race.

McGaughey said he loves getting Mr Speaker back to Belmont Park and its wider turns. Mr Speaker won a maiden race here last fall by 2 3/4 lengths.

“Looking forward to running here over the bigger course,” McGaughey said. “I don’t know how he’s going to handle it if it keeps raining; but there ain’t nothing I can do about that. He acts like he’ll handle anything. Obviously, you don’t know.”

McGaughey said he believes Mr Speaker is versatile enough to handle any pace scenario.

“In the Lexington he could have gone to the lead at anytime; that’s what the jockey told me,” McGaughey said.

The jockey, Jose Lezcano, will ride Mr Speaker from post 4.

After winning the Palm Beach, Gala Award ran sixth in the Grade 1 Blue Grass over Keeneland’s Polytrack. Gala Award is 2 for 3 on turf.

The French-bred Flamboyant ships to New York from Southern California, where he won the La Puente Stakes at 1 1/8 miles by a neck in April.

“These are very, very nice horses,” trainer Paddy Gallagher said. “I don’t know if he belongs with them, but we’ll test him and see.”

Can’thelpbelieving, fifth in the Palm Beach, and Smooth Daddy, third to Mr Speaker here last year, complete the field.