Speaker's Corner has easy time with Gulfstream Park Mile

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – A different big-event Saturday at Gulfstream Park, but the same result.

Speaker’s Corner, whose victory in the Grade 3 Fred W. Hooper on the Jan. 29 Pegasus World Cup undercard was his first in a stakes, furthered his status among North American milers with a front-running, 5 1/2-length triumph Saturday in the Grade 2, $200,000 Gulfstream Park Mile on the Fountain of Youth card.

“I knew he was going fast, but he was doing it so easily,” said Junior Alvarado, who was aboard Speaker’s Corner, a 4-year-old Godolphin homebred for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott.

The 75th Gulfstream Mile unfolded – and ended – in much the same way as the Hooper, which also was a one-turn mile. This time, Speaker’s Corner “was more relaxed than last time, not as keen,” said Alvarado, before he drew off easily while Fearless, the Hooper runner-up, once again gave closest chase down the stretch when settling for second.

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Speaker’s Corner returned $4.60 as the favorite in a field of eight older horses after finishing in a swift 1:33.84 and getting a 106 Beyer Speed Figure. The bay Street Sense colt now has won five of eight overall starts.

“I sent him out of there and he just took it nicely,” Alvarado said. “Turning for home, I knew I was going to have a lot of horse left.”

By virtue of his two dominant wins at the championship meet, Speaker’s Corner now becomes an obvious candidate for such major races as the June 11 Metropolitan Mile and Nov. 5 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile.

“They challenged him a little bit on the turn, but he was just better than they were today,” Mott said.

“I don’t know what’s next. We have to talk it over. Naturally with a horse like this who’s running good, a big step up would be the Met Mile. You’ve got to put it in the back of your mind and give it consideration. He’s won a Grade 3, now a Grade 2, and now we’ve got to search for the G1.”

Fearless, the 2021 Gulfstream Mile winner and the 2-1 second choice, had another 2 3/4 lengths on Endorsed in third.

The $2 exacta (3-4) paid $11.60, the $1 trifecta (3-4-7) returned $23.50, and the 10-cent superfecta (3-4-7-9) was worth $11.78.

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