Speed Shopper outlasts Arya Stark in Florence Stakes

Speed Shopper has been slow to get going, but once she found her stride this year she has risen in the ranks in a hurry. The filly capped off her first complete season of racing with her first stakes victory, outdueling favored Arya Stark for a half-length win in the inaugural $125,000 Florence Stakes on Saturday night at Turfway Park.

Speed Shopper ($10.82), a 4-year-old Quality Road filly owned by Gary Barber, Bridlewood Farm, and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, made her first two starts at Santa Anita for trainer Michael McCarthy, running in maidens in December 2023 and February 2024. She then went to the sidelines, and when she resurfaced in May in Kentucky, it was with trainer William Walden. She has now won twice from six starts this year, missing the board only once.

The filly made her stakes debut in October with a return trip to Santa Anita, finishing second by just a head in the Grade 2 Rodeo Drive on the turf. The Florence was her first start since.

Speed Shopper, under jockey Danny Sheehy, raced in fifth in the second flight early, and improved her position with a three-wide move into the stretch. Racing in third in the lane, she had aim on Arya Stark, who had inherited the lead after stalking in second. Speed Shopper dueled the favorite, and prevailed by a half-length at the wire.

The time for the 1 1/4 miles on the Tapeta was 2:03.39.

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