G1 winner Speech starts 2021 in Keeneland's Doubledogdare

Speech will return to the scene of her biggest triumph when she kicks off her 2021 campaign in Friday’s 26th running of the $100,000 Doubledogdare (G3) at Keeneland.

Owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Madaket Stables and Heider Family Stables and trained by Michael McCarthy, Speech arrived at Keeneland Tuesday night to begin preparations for the 1 1/16-mile race, the same distance of the Ashland (G1). She won that race by 3 lengths here last summer.

“I liked the fact she could come back over a race track and trip she had excelled at before,” McCarthy said via text of opening her campaign in the Baird Doubledogdare.

Speech closed her 2020 campaign by cutting back to 7 furlongs in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Keeneland in which she finished sixth behind eventual champion Gamine. After time off, Speech returned to the work tab at Santa Anita Feb. 11 and had her final work for the Baird Doubledogdare last Saturday going 5 furlongs in 1:00.40.

“It is a long year and there are plenty of options for her down the road,” McCarthy said. “We want to take it race by race and hope she earns her way to the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (at Del Mar Nov. 6).”