A swift move early in the stretch carried Speightstown’s 2-year-old daughter Recepta to a decisive win in the $100,000 Chelsea Flower S. on Sunday at Belmont Park (VIDEO). Earlier on Sunday, Speightstown’s two-year-old son Coastline took the $61,800 Street Sense S. at Churchill Downs, giving their sire three juvenile stakes winners this year.
With $9.7 million in progeny earnings, Speightstown ranks second on the General Sire list. His numbers of repeat winners (73), stakes winners (22), and stakes wins (32) tops all three those categories.
Recepta came out of the gate fairly leisurely in the grassy one-mile Chelsea Flower, with jockey Junior Alvarado content to sit near the back of the 12-horse field while well off the rail for the backstretch run. Recepta began to edge closer into the turn, but was forced extremely wide because of the fairly compact field.
Fanning six-wide into the lane, Recepta responded immediately to Alvarado’s urging, powering away from the field for a 3 1/4-length win in 1:35.63 on the firm turf, earning a very solid Beyer Speed Figure of 84.
Trained by Jimmy Toner for breeder Phillips Racing Partnership, who co-owns the dark bay filly with Pam Gartin, Recepta broke her maiden first time out at Saratoga. With Sunday’s $60,000 payday, her earnings now stand at $113,000. She is out of Honor Bestowed, a half-sister to 1999 Champion Turf Mare Soaring Softly.