Shirl's Speight impresses again in Marine victory

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - The promising 3-year-old Shirl’s Speight passed another test with flying colors at Woodbine on Saturday when taking the Grade 3 Marine easily under Rafael Hernandez.

Shirl’s Speight won his July 10 debut in a grass sprint very impressively, and the 1 1/16-mile Marine on the Tapeta was a whole new ballgame for the son of Speightstown. He broke alertly from the outside and then pressed the speedy Untitled through honest fractions.

Shirl’s Speight took control around the quarter pole, and then drew clear in the stretch to prevail by 2 3/4 lengths, in a quick time of 1:43.42 on a hot afternoon.

Lucky Curlin came from third to finish second over the Queen’s Plate nominee Dotted Line. Untitled, Glorious Tribute, Lookinatamiracle, and Perfect Revenge completed the order of finish.

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Shirl’s Speight gave the Hall of fame trainer Roger Attfield his fifth win in the Marine.

“He’s a horse with a tremendous amount of ability,” Attfield said. “He just had that one race, and never learned anything from that race, didn’t get any experience from it. Today was going to be more interesting.

“He settled down and rated. Once he got to the five-eighths pole, I was pretty sure that he would just keep galloping. He’s a very nice horse, for sure.”

Shirl’s Speight ($4.10) banked $75,000 of the $128,250 purse for owner-breeder Charles Fipke, who campaigned his dam, Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf winner Perfect Shirl.