Speaking seeks John J. Reilly repeat following long layoff

The 3-year-old Sea Streak has already produced an eye-catching stakes win during the early portion of this Monmouth Park racing season. It’s his older brother Speaking’s turn Sunday.

Speaking, a 5-year-old gelding by Mr Speaker out of High Noon Nellie, by Silver Deputy, won the $85,000 John J. Reilly Handicap a year ago returning from a 10-week layoff. This time, he starts as the 124-pound highweight going six furlongs on dirt in his first outing since Aug. 23.

“I think he’s ready,” said Eddie Owens, who trains Speaking for his breeder, Vincent Annarella’s Holly Crest Farms. “He’s working great. I worked him one time with his brother down in Florida. They hit the wire together but on the gallop-out Sea Streak went on. I didn’t want this horse to do too much.”

Sea Streak is by Sea Wizard, whose first crops of runners – there are only a handful of them – hit the track in 2022. Sea Wizard from that first crop got a Holly Crest horse trained by Owens named Great Navigator, who was second in the Sanford Stakes at Saratoga. Sea Wizard topped the New Jersey sire standings in 2023 and barring the unforeseen will do so again this year. Owens said every 2-year-old in his barn is by Sea Wizard.

Sea Streak was the best Holly Crest 2-year-old of 2023 and showed off his ability May 11 at Monmouth, winning the Long Branch Stakes by 7 1/4 lengths with a career-best 91 Beyer Speed Figure. Owens said Sea Streak came out of the Long Branch in good condition and will make his next start June 15 at Monmouth in the Pegasus Stakes, a prep for the Haskell Invitational.

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While Sea Streak is a horse on the rise, Speaking appeared to hit his ceiling during 2022. During 2023, he made but three starts, prepping for his Reilly win in a Gulfstream turf allowance, then capturing another New Jersey-bred stakes in August. And while Owens feels confident Speaking has ample fitness to win a second Reilly, a new Lasix prohibition in this race is cause for concern.

“He’s a bleeder. That’s why he has so much time between races. He bled after his last race,” said Owens. “I just cross my fingers. I know this is a longer layoff than last year, but he’s had no hiccups.”

Speaking and jockey Jairo Rendon have the outside post in a seven-horse field. Speaking faces a familiar foe in No Cents, who finished in front of Speaking in the 2022 Reilly but Speaking beat him twice last summer.

No Cents, trained by Cal Lynch, carries 121 pounds and holds a major recency edge on Speaking having made five starts during a form cycle that began in December.

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