Toews On Ice, Street Vision meet in Speakeasy
ARCADIA, Calif. – Some 2-year-olds come around quickly, while others need a race or two. Both types will start Sunday in the $70,000 Speakeasy Stakes at Santa Anita.
Toews On Ice needed three starts to put it all together, while Street Vision required two, and Blameitonthelaw needed just one.
When they meet Sunday in the six-furlong Speakeasy, the slowest to come around might be the fastest to the wire. After misfiring twice at Del Mar, Toews On Ice’s third start was in a restricted stakes at Los Alamitos. He romped by more than seven lengths.
“That track is so fast, and he got over it really good,” said trainer Bob Baffert. “He just exploded. At Del Mar, he sort of struggled with that track.”
Toews On Ice (named for Chicago Blackhawks center Jonathan Toews, pronounced “Taves”) could be the speed of the Speakeasy. He faces a good rival who also has improved.
Street Vision finished fourth in his debut at Del Mar, producing more speed than trainer Mark Glatt expected. His second start was a highly rated maiden win.
“He showed more speed [first out] than I thought he had, and he got a little tired,” Glatt said. “He actually needed the race more than I thought because he has a different style than I thought he had.”
Street Vision and Toews On Ice will attract most of the betting in the Speakeasy, while Blameitonthelaw was not a confirmed starter as of Friday. Blameitonthelaw won his career debut by more than four lengths, then regressed in two subsequent starts.
“He couldn’t really duplicate that first race,” said trainer John Sadler. “I was going to give him a little more time because I kind of threw him to the wolves, and it didn’t work.”
After his winning debut, Blameitonthelaw finished a distant third in the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity and fifth in the Grade 1 FrontRunner at Santa Anita. Both races were won by Nyquist.
The Speakeasy is race 2 of 9.
Key contenders
Toews On Ice (Last 3 Beyers: 83-52-48)
Baffert considered shipping Toews On Ice to Belmont Park for the Grade 2 Futurity on Saturday but changed plans after the colt’s final workout.
“He worked okay but not to my standards,” said Baffert.
Toews On Ice could be the speed of the field under Victor Espinoza. Regular rider Martin Garcia will ride the Baffert-trained Pretty N Cool in the Grade 2 Matron on Sunday at Belmont.
Over the past five years, Baffert is 11 for 14 with 2-year-old favorites in non-graded stakes.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 5 Toews On Ice. Trainer Bob Baffert is 6-5-0-0 with a $2.63 ROI over the past five years with juvenile males in dirt sprints coming off a win. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
:: Learn more about Formulator | Buy Formulator PPs
:: Follow the @DRFFormulator Twitter feed and get free Formulator facts
Street Vision (Last 2 Beyers: 87-63)
Glatt considered skipping the Speakeasy and training Street Vision into the seven-furlong Bob Hope Stakes on Nov. 14 at Del Mar, but the colt has done so well since his maiden win at 6 1/2 furlongs that Glatt will shorten him up to six furlongs for the stakes.
“He’s done really well out of the race,” said Glatt. “He came back and breezed really well.”
Rafael Bejarano rides Street Vision.
Blameitonthelaw (Last 3 Beyers: 63-65-88)
Sadler will decide Sunday whether to run Blameitonthelaw.
“He has to have two really good days,” Sadler said Friday.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 1 Blameitonthelaw. Trainer John Sadler is 9-0-3-2 over the past five years going route to sprint with juveniles. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan