Speechify Ready for Graded Debut in Mr. Prospector
Ralph Nicks couldn’t be faulted if he had high expectations for Speechify in Saturday’s $100,000 Mr. Prospector (G3) at Gulfstream Park, but the veteran trainer won’t be feeling any pressure when he saddles the 2-1 morning-line favorite for his graded-stakes debut in the six-furlong sprint.
“Anything he does from here on in is a bonus,” Nicks said. “He’s already done more than he was ever expected to. Whatever else he does is a bonus.”
Speechify is afflicted with a restriction of the esophagus that caused concerns about his career before a diet of “soup” nursed the Kentucky-bred back to relative good health. Sent to Nicks for some special attention by Team Valor International, the small but well-constructed colt has blossomed into a stakes performer.
Speechify has won four times and finished second once in five career races at six furlongs or shorter on dirt, with his only subpar showings coming in a route and a turf sprint. He is set to enter the Mr. Prospector off a career-best performance – a 3 ¾-length triumph in the Kenny Noe Jr. Stakes at Gulfstream Park West on Nov. 16. The eye-catching performance came in his second start back from a nine-month layoff caused by a condylar fracture that required a screw to be inserted into his right front leg to aid in the healing process.
“I think he’s getting better and better. He’s gotten more mature and he wants to be a racehorse. That’s the way he is,” said Nicks, who has named Paco Lopez to ride. “He’s very straightforward and wants to do his job.”
Singanothersong, who posted a sharp 1 ¾-length score in last year’s Mr. Prospector, finished a disappointing eighth behind Speechify in the Kenny Noe Jr. The 4-year-old son of Songandaprayer is set to return in the eight-horse Mr. Prospector with trainer Ron Pellegrini’s expectations for a much-improved performance. Singanothersong is a “non-sweater” whose performance on occasion has been compromised by hot weather.
“That day was a warm day, and he never fired at all. They went the first quarter in 23 (seconds) and he was five lengths out of it. He should have been on the lead with that kind of fraction,” Pellegrini said. “We’ve had a problem with him all summer with him not sweating, but his last couple breezes have been great, so hopefully he’ll run a much better race. I think he’s ready. He’s really training strong.”
Rated at 12-1 in the morning line, Singanothersong has been in the money in 13 of 17 career starts and in seven of nine races at Gulfstream Park, including three wins and a second-place finish in the 2013 Swale (G3).
Master Blender, rated second in the morning line at 7-2, is set to make his stakes debut in the Mr. Prospector while in search of his fifth consecutive first-place finish. The Kirk Ziadie-trained 4-year-old is coming off a non-winners-of-three optional claimer victory at Gulfstream Park West on Oct. 18. Jesus Rios has been named to ride the son of Pomeroy for the first time.
Mongolian Saturday and Risk Factor, third and fourth, respectively, in the Kenny Noe Jr., are set to return in the Mr. Prospector.
Simmstown, the 2013 Kenny Noe Jr. winner who has been on the shelf for nearly a year; Little Daddy, a two-time winner in four Gulfstream starts; and Calamondin, a winner of four of his last five starts in the Mid-Atlantic; round out the field.
Source: Gulfstream Park