Attfield says Shirl's Speight is taking well to Tokyo dirt track

Roger Attfield was a bit apprehensive about how Shirl's Speight might take to the dirt at Tokyo Racecourse, where she will run in Sunday's Grade 1 February Stakes.

But during a news conference with the Japan Racing Association, the Hall of Fame trainer said, "He seems to have handled it very well. We schooled him this morning just from the turf to the dirt track, which he handled very well."

Shirl's Speight, a Charles Fipke homebred, was second last out in the Breeders' Cup Mile. He will be the first overseas runner to start in the February, which is the Grade 1 season opener for the Japan Racing Association.

"It was the owner of the horse’s idea to do this," Attfield said. "He was quite adamant that he wanted to try him on the dirt here. I’ve always been a bit apprehensive about that because he’s only run twice on the dirt and they hadn’t been that great a race. I was a little concerned when my assistant told me how deep the dirt was out here. When he broke from the gate the other day, he ran a few furlongs and he seemed to handle it very well. I just have my fingers crossed."

Shirl's Speight's last start on dirt was a third-place finish in the Salvatore Mile (G3) behind Mind Control and Hot Rod Charlie on June 18.

"I’ve worked him quite a few times on the dirt track at the training center that I always go to in Florida and that’s a reasonably deep dirt track, and he worked exceptionally well over it," Attfield said. "He’s a very versatile horse but watching videos of him here and watching him this morning, he looks like he’s handling the track very well and if he can run to his true ability, he will be very competitive."

Attfield also said the 6-year-old son of Speightstown did not seem to be bothered by the trip to Japan.

"He’s settled in very well," Attfield said. "He had a very long trip and surprisingly enough he’s eaten all the time, on the plane and ever since he’s been here, and has lost very little weight and he’s been training here very forwardly."

Shirl's Speight will be ridden by João Moreira, a Brazil native who has won four riding titles in Hong Kong. Post time for the February is Sunday at 1:40 a.m. EST.