Charlatan certainly didn’t disappoint in his much anticipated debut Feb. 16 at Santa Anita Park, rolling to a six-length victory in a very quick 1:08.85 for the six furlongs (VIDEO).
In addition to earning a TDN Rising Star tag, the 17th such for Speightstown, the 3-year-old colt earned gaudy 105 Beyer Speed Figure, the second-highest figure for any horse, regardless of age, in 2020.
Charlatan, trained by Bob Baffert, was off a beat slow but quickly recovered and took the lead in the first furlong. Settling nicely around the turn, he opened up with ease in the stretch and won as much the best.
“I gigged him just a little after the break, just to get him into the race,” Van Dyke said. “I really didn’t know that much about him. You could see he had a couple bullet works from the gate and that he’d been training well. He blew by those horses so easy, and as you could see, he galloped out big.”
Bred in Kentucky by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings, Charlatan is out of the grade 1-placed Quiet American mare Authenticity. Charlatan was a $700,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase when SF Bloodstock and Starlight West partnered on the colt, who is now owned by that duo, along with Madaket Stables and Stonestreet Stables LLC.
The fourth stakes winner of 2020 for Speightstown, Charlatan is a Triple Crown nominee.
