Shirl's Speight a handful morning after maker's mark mile triumph

Trainer Roger Attfield was all smiles Saturday morning following the stirring victory by Charles Fipke’s Shirl’s Speight in Friday’s Maker’s Mark Mile (G1). 

“I’ve known Mr. Fipke a long time, and I have never seen him that excited,” Attfield said. “And the noise from the crowd (when the result of the photo was posted), you’d think we had just won the Arc (de Triomphe).” 

The stakes victory is the fifth for Fipke at Keeneland with four of them coming with Attfield and all are homebreds. Perfect Soul (IRE), broodmare sire of Shirl’s Speight, won the 2003 Shadwell Turf Mile (G1) and came back the following spring to set the stakes record in the Maker’s Mark Mile. Lady Shakespeare won the 2010 Grey Goose Bewitch (G3). 

Attfield said Shirl’s Speight came out of Friday’s race “unbelievably well. He dragged the hot walker around for 30 minutes this morning, and it was like he had never run.” 

Plans are to be determined for the next start for Shirl’s Speight, but Attfield ruled out the $1 million Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic (G1) at Churchill Downs on May 7. 

“That would be coming back too soon,” Attfield said. “You see him this morning, you’d think otherwise, but it is a long year.” 

This afternoon, Fipke and Attfield will try to double their Grade 1 success when Lady Speightspeare – whose dam is Lady Shakespeare – goes to the gate in the $500,000 Jenny Wiley (G1).