Speightstown’s hard-luck son Flagstaff got the best of Grade 1 winner Roadster in Saturday’s $100,000 Damascus S. at Santa Anita Park, winning the seven-furlong contest by a nose for his first stakes victory.
The lightly-raced dark bay has been worse than third only once in nine starts, was most recently third in the Santa Anita Sprint Championship (G1), and has now earned $243,785 for Lane’s End Racing and Hronis Racing LLC.
Comical Ghost took off for the lead out of the gate, but with a field of just four, there was never more than two lengths from front to back. Flagstaff was second going into the turn on the outside of Comical Ghost, with Roadster gaining three wide. Flagstaff and Roadster went by the pacesetter and were side-by-side the rest of the way, with Flagstaff getting the nod in 1:22.36 on a fast track.
“He’s (Eclipse Champion 2-year old Male) Game Winner’s older brother, so we’ve always thought he was a good horse, but had just had things not go right for him,” said trainer John Sadler. “He looks the soundest he’s ever been and is doing really well, so we’re excited.”
Flagstaff was the first foal out of Indyan Giving, whose dam Fleet Indian won five graded stakes and earned $1.7 million. Bred by Summer Wind Farm, Flagstaff sold for $475,000 athe 2015 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Yearling sale.
Speightstown, a top-five General Sire this year, has had terrific week, with Sharing winning the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) on Friday, and a pair of 2-year-old maiden special weight winners at Churchill Downs and Belmont Park earlier in the week.
