Speaker's Corner, First Captain headed to the G1 Carter

Godolphin’s Speaker’s Corner appears to have found his niche at the one-turn graded stakes level and will carry winning form into the Grade 1, $300,000 Carter Handicap on April 9 at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, the 4-year-old son of Street Sense will arrive at the historic seven-furlong sprint off two sharp victories at Gulfstream Park going a one-turn mile. Five weeks following a triumphant seasonal debut in the Fred Hooper (G3) on January 29, he captured the Gulfstream Park Mile (G2) in similar frontrunning fashion.

Speaker’s Corner made his stakes and two-turn debut in the Pennsylvania Derby (G1) in September, finishing a distant sixth. He ran a career-best 109 Beyer in an allowance optional claimer one month later at Belmont Park, which he won by 6 3/4 lengths. His following effort, a second in the nine-furlong Discovery at Aqueduct, prompted his connections to cut back and focus on one-turn races.

“He showed plenty last year. We tried stretching him out, but it wasn’t really what he wanted to do,” Godolphin bloodstock director Michael Banahan said. “We got him back out to one-turn miles and he was impressive in both of those. That’s what it looks like he wants to do.”

A sharp Belmont maiden special weight victory in October 2020 put Speaker’s Corner on the radar, besting subsequent stakes winners Caddo River, Greatest Honour and Miles D.

Sidelined until the following August, Speaker’s Corner returned to action with vigor when defeating winners by 5 1/4 lengths going seven furlongs at Saratoga Race Course. The victory garnered a 101 Beyer – his first of five triple-digit speed figures.

“We kept having small problems that came up and we had to take our time with him,” Banahan recalled. “When we saw those horses in his maiden do so well, we were excited to see what he could do.”

Speaker’s Corner sports a record of 8-5-1-1 with earnings in excess of $400,000. His dam Tyburn Brook, by Bernardini, is out of 2006 Breeders’ Cup Distaff winner Round Pond.

Banahan said Speaker’s Corner has matured.

“He’s a bigger and stronger version of himself,” Banahan said. “Even as a foal and as a yearling, we always liked him on the farm. He’s out of an unraced mare but has a very good pedigree. Once he went to Florida to get pre-trained, he showed plenty of talent. When he was sent to Bill, he said the same, so we were always hopeful of him.”

Banahan also spoke of Speaker’s Corner’s two-time winning stable mate Nostalgic, who is slated to return to New York for the $400,000 Gazelle (G2), which offers 100-40-20-10 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points to the top-four finishers.

The Medaglia d’Oro bay was a 7 3/4-length winner of her career debut in October at Belmont Park followed by a fourth in the Demoiselle (G2) on Dec. 4 at the Big A.

A strong turf work in January at Payson Park gave her connections confidence to try the Sweetest Chant (G3) on February 5 at Gulfstream, finishing a distant ninth as the lukewarm favorite. One month later, Nostalgic recaptured her winning form when defeating winners going a two-turn 1 1/16 miles over the Gulfstream main track.

“We like the distance and the timing of the Gazelle,” Banahan said. “She broke her maiden nicely and ran OK in the Demoiselle, but her last race gave us some encouragement.”

Godolphin will eye their fifth Gazelle victory following past success with Imperial Gesture (2002), Music Note (2008), Flashing (2009) and Dance Card (2012). Nostalgic, a Kentucky homebred, is out of the stakes-placed Tapit mare Been Here Before, whose dam Connie Belle is a half-sister to 2006 Wood Memorial winner Bob and John.

First Captain hopes to set sail in Carter

Four-time winner First Captain is set to make his Grade 1 debut in the $300,000 Carter Handicap presented by NYRA Bets on April 9 at Aqueduct Racetrack.

First Captain, trained by Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey, made a winning seasonal debut in a seven-furlong allowance sprint on February 27 at Gulfstream Park, overtaking five-time winner Doc Amster in the final strides to win by a head. The victory was the 4-year-old son of Curlin’s first start since July 2021, where he suffered his only loss in his sire’s two-turn namesake race at Saratoga.

First Captain was unbeaten in three starts, all at Belmont Park, prior to the Curlin, making the gradual steps from maiden, to allowance, to graded stakes winner with a 1 3/4-length score in the Dwyer (G3) going a one-turn mile at Belmont in July.

First Captain is owned by West Point Thoroughbreds, Siena Farm, Woodford Racing and celebrity chef Bobby Flay, who bred the chestnut colt.

“He’s got that one-turn grinding type of style which, generally, is a tough style to win with at Gulfstream, so we were happy that he ran well,” West Point Thoroughbreds spokesman Jason Blewitt said. “The fact that he got up to win, not that it was a surprise, really felt great. We were proud of him to find the finish with such a closing kick. He bounced out if it in really good shape for Shug.”

Although First Captain’s lone two-turn start was not a victorious one, Blewitt said he is hopeful the talented colt will handle extra ground down the road.

“I’m not totally convinced he doesn’t want to go two turns. Although the Curlin was disappointing out of him, it maybe was a case of a bad trip and he did have a minor ankle issue after that,” Blewitt said. “There’s no denying that his races at Belmont last spring and summer were mighty impressive as well as the seven-eighths win at Gulfstream. It looks pretty black and white on paper that he’s 4-for-4 around one turn, so I’m anxious to see how he’ll stack up in the Carter. It’s a race that has a very rich history.”

A strong effort from First Captain in the Carter could result in a start in the Metropolitan Handicap (G1) on June 11 at Belmont Park. Vekoma is the most recent horse to capture the Carter-Met Mile double in 2020.

Also under consideration for the Met Mile is undefeated Flightline, who is based in Southern California with trainer John Sadler and is scheduled to have his first breeze since February next month. Flightline is co-owned by West Point Thoroughbreds in partnership with Hronis Racing, Siena Farm, Summer Wind Equine, and Woodford Racing.

“Everything would be under consideration,” Blewitt said. “Flightline is doing well out in California and the Met Mile is a definite goal for him. He’s going to be back on the work tab in April and he’s galloping daily. He’s over the hiccup he had about a month ago. The Carter and the Met Mile have always gone hand in hand. It will be interesting to see how First Captain stacks up in the Carter. It wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world to have two horses in the Met Mile.”