Shirl’s Speight Wins Thrilling Renewal of Maker’s Mark Mile

Charles Fipke’s homebred Shirl’s Speight, rallying widest of all in the stretch, caught favored Masen (GB) at the finish to prevail by a nose in the 34^th running of the $600,000 Maker’s Mark Mile (G1) for 4-year-olds and up Friday afternoon. 

Trained by Roger Attfield and ridden by Luis Saez, Shirl’s Speight covered the mile on a turf course rated as good in 1:35.93. The victory is Attfield’s third in the race following Shudanz in 1992 and Perfect Soul (IRE) in 2004. Perfect Soul is the broodmare sire of Shirl’s Speight.

Attfield, now with 1,996 victories in his Racing Hall of Fame career, has a chance to become the first trainer to win the Maker’s Mark Mile and Jenny Wiley (G1) in the same year as he will saddle Lady Speightspeare for Fipke in Saturday’s Jenny Wiley. 

Smooth Like Strait, under Umberto Rispoli, went to the front in the field of eight with Masen and Flavien Prat just off his flank through fractions of :24.95 and :49.63. The top two hit the quarter pole in tandem after 6 furlongs in 1:13.38 with Masen eventually gaining the upper hand at the eighth pole. 

Shirl’s Speight, who raced near the back of the pack in the run down the backside, swung to the seven path in the upper stretch for clear sailing with which to catch Masen, who was making his U.S. debut. 

Shirl’s Speight is a 5-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Speightstown out of 2011 Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1) Perfect Shirl. In notching his first Grade 1 victory, Shirl’s Speight added $358,050 to his bankroll that now totals $566,665 and improved his record to 9-5-0-1. 

Shirl’s Speight returned $20, $9 and $5. Masen returned $4 and $3 with Smooth Like Strait finishing another neck back in third and returning $2.80 to show. 

Atone finished another three-quarters of a length back in fourth and was followed in order by Mira Mission, Count Again, Set Piece (GB) and In Love (BRZ). 

Ruthin (GB) holds off Derrynane to win TVG Limestone

Stonestreet Stables’ Ruthin (GB) took the lead out of the gate and then held off Derrynane by a diminishing neck to win the third running of the $200,000 TVG Limestone (L) for 3-year-old fillies. 

Trained by Wesley Ward and ridden by John Velazquez, Ruthin completed the 5½ furlongs on a turf course rated as good in 1:03.33. 

Ruthin broke on top and led the field of eight through unopposed fractions of :22.59 and :45.83 while Derrynane raced near the rear of the pack. In the stretch, Ruthin maintained a clear advantage in the middle of the course and had enough left to hold off Derrynane. 

A 3-year-old daughter of Ribchester (IRE) out of the Selkirk mare Selinka, Ruthin won at first asking over the Keeneland turf last April and then finished seventh in the Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot in England in June. 

The TVG Limestone was her first start in 10 months. The victory was worth $89,513 and increased her earnings to $111,233. 

Ruthin returned $18.20, $6.80 and $3.60. Derrynane, ridden by Joel Rosario, returned $3.60 and $2.60 and finished three-quarters of a length ahead of favored Her World (IRE), who paid $2.40 to show under Irad Ortiz Jr. 

Lost My Sock finished another neck back in fourth and was followed in order by Unbridled Mary, Gun Boat, Sin City Gal and Thunder Love (GB). 

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Racing continues Saturday with an 11-race program beginning at 1 p.m. ET and featuring three stakes: $500,000 Jenny Wiley (G1), $400,000 Stonestreet Lexington (G3) and $200,000 Giant’s Causeway (L) for fillies and mares.