Speightstown Shirl takes on winners, goes longer

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Speightstown Shirl steps up to first-level allowance company in Friday’s Woodbine headliner at 1 1/16 miles in Lane 1 on the main turf.

Speightstown Shirl placed in her first three outings, which came in maiden special weight company at three different tracks, earning an 81 Beyer Speed Figure at Churchill in her penultimate start.

Speightstown Shirl put it all together here opening day, June 12, in a one-mile maiden special on the main turf. After a stalking trip, she took control in the stretch and held on despite drifting out in late stretch.

Rafael Hernandez will ride the Roger Attfield-trained Speightstown Shirl again for owner-breeder Charles Fipke. Fipke campaigned her dam, Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf winner Perfect Shirl, and a full brother, Grade 3 Marine victor Shirl’s Speight.

Inthewinnerscircle took the long way home while closing for second in an allowance route following a layoff on June 12. Patrick Husbands inherits the mount from Hernandez on the Mark Casse-trained 3-year-old. She’s campaigned by the meet’s leading owner, Live Oak Plantation, the Sovereign Award-winning owner in 2020.

Gloriannia has the look of a live longshot. After getting stuck in traffic in midstretch, she graduated in a seven-furlong maiden special in her June 27 season opener. The 5-year-old English Channel mare is bred to be a late developer.

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She’s a Dream found her calling on the grass last summer when she captured back-to-back Ontario-sired allowances. She led the way before fading to third behind Juxtapose and Inthewinnerscircle in her first run of the season.

Josie Carroll trains She’s a Dream and Sansa’s Vow, who finished fourth ahead of two next-out allowance winners in a March 6 allowance at Tampa.