One Timer follows Rivelli's plan to Speakeasy Stakes

One Timer will have his turf debut in Friday’s $100,000 Speakeasy Stakes for 2-year-olds at five furlongs at Santa Anita, a race that has been on Illinois trainer Larry Rivelli’s mind for months.

One Timer is unbeaten in two starts, including the Victoria Stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs on the synthetic track at Woodbine on July 31. Rivelli said running One Timer in the Speakeasy next was always the plan.

“We had planned this route the whole time,” he said. “This horse is one of the best 2-year-olds I’ve ever had. Very athletic, fast, and can carry his speed.”

One Timer, who will be ridden by E.T. Baird, is part of a field of seven in the Speakeasy, the first of four stakes on Friday’s opening day of the track’s 16-day autumn meeting.

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One Timer has set the pace in his two starts, including a win in a maiden special weight race at five furlongs on the synthetic track at Arlington Park on June 26. In the Speakeasy, One Timer drew post 2 and will utilize that speed, Rivelli said.

“He’s got one way to go,” Rivelli said. “It’s not like we’ll take back and go around.”

One Timer worked a half-mile on turf at Arlington Park in July in advance of his win in the Victoria.

“If he takes to the turf, we’ll be in pretty good shape,” Rivelli said.

The winner of the Speakeasy receives a fees-paid berth to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Del Mar on Nov. 5, a race very much on Rivelli’s mind.

The Speakeasy field includes Miss Alacrity, the undefeated winner of the Colleen Stakes for fillies at 5 1/2 furlongs on turf at Monmouth Park on Aug. 1, and Forbidden Kingdom, the promising winner of a maiden special weight race at 5 1/2 furlongs on dirt at Del Mar on Aug. 21.

Trainer Richard Mandella considered Friday’s Grade 1 American Pharoah Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on dirt for Forbidden Kingdom, but opted for the shorter race on a different surface for the colt’s stakes debut.

“I wasn’t looking to put him on the turf,” Mandella said. “I was looking to sprint him. I don’t see any reason he wouldn’t like the turf.”

Forbidden Kingdom led throughout his debut, but Mandella said he is not reliant on that style.

“This will be a learning experience,” Mandella said. “There is some good speed in there. He could sit off them. He’s a young horse and he may break and want to do it.”