Speeding Kid, Simran get statebred stakes wins

Speeding Kid and Simran, 3-year-olds facing older horses in short fields, won divisions of the $45,000 Minnesota Made Sprint on Friday night at Canterbury Park. Leslie Mawing rode both winners in races restricted to Minnesota-breds.

Speeding Kid was the more impressive of the two. Held up last of five in the early going and kept wide throughout, Speeding Kid attacked pacesetters Fireman Oscar and Vow of Francis at the top of the stretch and went right on by. He opened up to win by two lengths, stopping the timer in 1:10.98 for six furlongs on a fast track and paying $3.20 to win. Vow of Francis got the better of Fireman Oscar by a neck for second.

Miguel Silva, who is contending for the Canterbury training title at this meet, trains Speeding Kid for owners Lori and William Townsend. The 3-year-old is part of the same class as the local standout Mr. Jagermeister, who beat him six lengths in the Victor S. Myers Stakes on July 4, but with no Mr. Jagermeister this time, Speeding Kid, a son of Law Enforcement and Bright Star, by Elusive Quality, proved much the best.

So was Simran in the fillies division, though she ran considerably slower than Speeding Kid, clocking 1:12.24 on a fast, sealed surface much earlier on the Friday night card. Simran was the only 3-year-old in a field of six, but she appeared to be the most imposing physical specimen in the race, and the favored Ta Kela Warning had no response when Simran and Mawing loomed three wide in midstretch. Simran went on to a comfortable 3 1/4-length victory, paying $5 to win.

Simran, winning her third in a row, continued the strong meet for her trainer Roopishwar Rampadarat, who has five wins from 12 runners this Canterbury season. Rampadarat bred the filly, a daughter of Joey Franco and the Our Emblem mare Miss Cecilia, and Gaitri Rampadarat owns her.