Toews On Ice shows versatility in Speakeasy win

ARCADIA, Calif. – Toews On Ice won his second consecutive stakes Sunday in the $71,920 Speakeasy Stakes for 2-year-old sprinters at Santa Anita, displaying a more patient style than in previous starts.

Toews On Ice ($3.40) stalked the pacesetter Big Finish for the first half-mile, took the lead in early stretch, and pulled clear to win by 4 1/4 lengths. Toews On Ice disputed the pace in his first three starts, including a win in the Barretts Juvenile at Los Alamitos on Sept. 20.

Toews On Ice was always near the front in the Speakeasy, trailing by a half-length early.

“I had a good post, and he broke in front,” jockey Victor Espinoza said. “The other horse took the lead. I sat back a little bit.”

Espinoza said he urged Toews On Ice to the front when Big Finish appeared to tire. Toews On Ice ran six furlongs in 1:09.74.

Street Vision, a 2-1 shot making his stakes debut, finished second, 3 3/4 lengths in front of the 5-2 Blameitonthelaw. Big Finish and Xingontothebone completed the order of finish in the small field.

Toews On Ice, by Archarcharch, races for Mike Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Wietman and is trained by Bob Baffert. Toews On Ice was third in maiden races at Del Mar in July and August before winning for the first time in his career in the Barretts Juvenile.

Toews On Ice has earned $115,200. The colt was purchased for $110,000 at the 2014 Keeneland September yearling sale and listed as bought back for $340,000 at the Barretts select sale of 2-year-olds in training sale last February.