By DRF.com
DEL MAR, Calif. (Nov. 1, 2024) – An improving 2-year-old whose trainer believes wants more ground found seven furlongs just right on Friday at Del Mar.
Speedy Wilson, owned and bred by Nick Alexander, scored a half-length victory over favorite R Heisman in the $175,000 Golden State Juvenile Stakes for Golden State Series-eligible sprinters. Speedy Wilson’s trainer Phil D’Amato looks forward to two turns for the son of Tough Sunday, who was represented by his first stakes winner.
“He’s just getting better and better,” D’Amato said. “He’s just a big, strapping colt horse, he definitely wants more ground.”
Up in class after winning a six-furlong maiden race in his third start, Speedy Wilson ($10.80 second choice) and jockey Armando Ayuso settled wide just off a quick pace, looped outside into the lane, and won in 1:23.47.
R Heisman finished 1 1/2 lengths clear of stablemate Shea Brennan. D’Amato said Shea Brennan may switch to grass for his next start.
Owner-breeder Alexander often names horses after notable figures in sports and history. Speedy Wilson is named for Harold “Speedy” Wilson, one of the most decorated Marines of all time. Speedy Wilson earned the Medal of Honor following heroics in the Korean War.
In a televised post-race interview, D’Amato talked about the disposition of the colt Speedy Wilson. “He kind of only does as much as he needs to. Those are the kind of horses you like, because they stick around for a while.
“I think when we get him around two turns, which we will next year” he will improve further, D’Amato said. Speedy Wilson has won two of four starts.
Speedy Wilson is out of the Ministers Wild Cat mare Queenofhercastle.
“He only does as much as he needs to do,” said D’Amato. “But those are the kind of horses you like because they stick around for a while. I knew we were in for a good stretch battle from the top of the lane home because that’s (R Heisman) a really nice horse. It’s just good to see ‘Speedy’ develop and he just looks like the longer the better for him. Once we get him around two turns, which we’ll do next year, who knows?”
Speedy Wilson has two wins in four starts, earnings of $156,150 and was coming off a Sept. 29 maiden win. With a stalking ride under jockey Armando Ayuso, Speedy Wilson ran the seven furlongs in 1:23.47 and won by one-half length at odds of 4-1.
“The trip was perfect,” said Ayuso. “He ran really good today. He was in the race all the way, I just had to be a passenger. I wove my way out really nice. He got to the lead playing a little bit. But he was just engaged all the time. He was waiting for horses to come to him. But give him another year and he’ll do it perfect.”