Pali Kitten runs down pacesetters to score upset Speakeasy victory
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ARCADIA, Calif. – Pali Kitten needed all five furlongs of Saturday’s $98,000 Speakeasy Stakes for 2-year-olds turf sprinters at Santa Anita to reach the front in his stakes debut.
Closing from last in a field of four, Pali Kitten caught deep stretch leader Smash It in the final strides to win the turf race by a neck in 56.11 seconds.
“We wanted to take it easy the first part,” winning rider Kazushi Kimura said.
Kimura moved Pali Kitten into a three-wide position entering the stretch and gradually moved closer to the lead. Pali Kitten was the longshot in the field and returned $29.80.
Smash It (2-1) closed from third to lead narrowly in the final furlong, catching 3-10 pacesetter Dreamaway who led by at least a length through the first three furlongs before fading. The lone filly in the small field, Dreamaway finished 3 1/2 lengths behind Pali Kitten.
“I have no excuse,” said jockey Juan Hernandez, who rode Dreamaway. “I had a clean break. I thought perfect.
“She didn’t fire. We got outrun.”
Tiz Happy finished fourth. I’m a Bad Boy, Kale’s Angel, Snowdonia, and Timty were scratched.
The Speakeasy Stakes was Dreamaway’s first loss in her third start. She was the easy winner of the Colleen Stakes at five furlongs on turf for fillies at Monmouth Park in July for owner and breeder John Oxley and trainer Wesley Ward.
Pali Kitten earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 79.
Pali Kitten, a colt by Vino Rosso, has 2 of 3 starts and earned $92,700 for the partnership of Robert Bambauer, James Cahill, Scott Knight, Robin Sutcliffe, Richard Sutcliffe Jr., and Timothy and Kelli Walsh.
Trained by Doug O’Neill, Pali Kitten was fifth in a maiden race at five furlongs on turf at Del Mar on Aug. 2 in his debut and won a $100,000 claimer for maidens at six furlongs on dirt on Aug. 18.
O’Neill indicated after the Speakeasy that Pali Kitten will be pointed for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Del Mar on Nov. 1.
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