Always Special forged ahead of Good Boy Roy in the final strides to get his maiden-breaking win by a half-length Saturday at Tampa Bay Downs.
The chestnut 2-year-old is the 14th winner for top-10 First-Crop sire Speightster, who is one of only two freshman sires in the top 10 that stand for $10,000 or less.
Always Special and Good Boy Roy were side-by-side for the last quarter-mile of the six-furlong contest, with the outcome not decided until the final 50 yards. He covered the distance in 1:12.81 on a fast main track.
Always Special races for his breeder Elizabeth Muirhead and is one of five winners out of his stakes-winning dam Special Cheers.
