Looking every bit the speed of the speed, Straight No Chaser (Speightster–Margarita Friday, by Johannesburg) dominated the GII Santa Anita Sprint Championship in just his second start of the season.
Bred by John Eaton & Steve Laymon, Straight No Chaser was Foaled & Raised at Hidden Brook Farm in Paris, Kentucky. He´s owned by the MyRacehorse partnership.
The now-5-year-old had not visited a winner’s circle since 2023 when he ran away with the GIII Maryland Sprint Stakes on the Preakness undercard by 7 1/2 lengths. Transferred to Juan Landeros’s care for that jump, Straight No Chaser ran fourth in his lone effort this year, which was the GIII Runhappy Stakes during the Belmont at the Big A meet May 11.
Back in action for Dan Blacker here, the 3-2 choice got to the lead and entertained brief early pressure from competition through :21.83 and :44.28 splits. Shrugging that one away and well in control coming off the bend, the question was how much he’d win by and the answer was 6 1/4 lengths over Roll On Big Joe in second. See Through It came on for third. The final time was 1:08.54, which translates to a hefty 119 Equibase Speed Figure
“They were running,” Blacker said. “He broke really quick today and when I saw him going into the turn, how easy he was going, and we were in the right spot, I felt pretty confident.”
Jockey John Velazquez added, “He was ready from the start. If he breaks good, and loose reins, that’s what he likes. He relaxes until somebody gets next to him.”
“I knew the horse on the outside [No. 7, For All Mankind] had speed, so I was concerned that he probably wanted to chase me. He broke a little slow and I heard the jock chirp at him to get him closer to me. I didn’t want to worry about it, if he wanted to go faster than me. I just put my hands down and kept the reins loose, keeping him comfortable. Even though he was going this fast, it felt like he wasn’t going that fast. He was just comfortable.”
-edited from www.thoroughbreddailynews.com
