Requite wins Parrot Key and is expected to target Smile Sprint

Limestone Thoroughbreds’ Requite came back running from a 10-month layoff to score a commanding 3 ½ triumph in Saturday’s $75,000 Parrot Key, one of seven stakes on the $525,000 Summit of Speed Preview program at Gulfstream Park.

The 4-year-old son of Warrior’s Reward, who hadn’t raced since finishing second in the Amsterdam (G2) at Saratoga last August, broke from the starting gate on top and was never threatened thereafter in the six-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds and up, scoring by open lengths under jockey Eddie Castro.

“He came back great. He broke sharp. I didn’t know we were going to be on the lead, but when they posted the 22-and-4 (seconds for the first quarter) and he was doing it that way, I thought I was the place to be,” trainer George Weaver said. “He opened up on them and got the job done. I thought he looked great off the layoff.”

The Parrot Key is a prep for the $250,000 Smile Sprint (G2), which will co-feature the $1.25 million Summit of Speed program with the $250,000 Princess Rooney G2) at Gulfstream July 2. Both graded-stakes are designated Breeders’ Cup ‘Win & You’re In’ events.

“We’re going to ship (to Saratoga) Monday, but we’re going to keep an eye on the Summit of Speed race down here. We’ll train him up there and bring him back down,” said Weaver, whose trainee would win a fees-paid berth in the $1.5 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) at Santa Anita Nov. 4 with a Smile victory. “He likes this track and if he’s going well, we’ll come back down. I think it would be a good idea.”

Requite won back-to-back races at Gulfstream last year, including a victory in the Big Cypress on the Summit of Speed Preview Day card. He finished second in the Amsterdam after shipping north, only to be sidelined by a stall accident in which he severed an artery in a front hoof.

“He’s an exciting horse. We were on the Breeders’ Cup trail last year and unfortunately he injured his hoof,” Weaver said. “If that (race) is an indication of what we’re going to do this year, I’m excited.”

Requite ran six furlongs in 1:09.18 to comfortably prevail over Yourdreamsormine, who finished another 1 ½ lengths in front of Mitos Y Leyendas.

“It was pretty easy. He was off for a long time, and George did a great job with him. He was a really nice horse when I rode him before,” said Castro, who is undefeated in three starts aboard Requite. “He does what he needs to do.”