BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Trainer Peter Miller will send Roncelli Family Trust, Tom Kagele and John Michael Roney’s Sendit Mo postward for his first try against stakes horses in the $100,000 Speakeasy Stakes at Santa Anita Saturday. Sendit Mo has drawn the outside post among a dozen 2-year-olds who will sprint five furlongs on the turf as he tries to join Speed Boat Beach in 2022 and Merit Man in 2012 as Florida-bred winners of the Speakeasy.
Although Sendit Mo is winless in three starts, all at Del Mar, there is obvious room for improvement having encountered difficulty at the start of his last two races. In a five-and-a-half-furlong maiden special weight on Aug. 16, Sendit Mo broke in and bumped with a rival but was able to recover and get to the lead. He was in front by a length-and-a-half entering the turn but faded to third in the stretch. Last out, Sendit Mo pressed eventual winner Boyd through the first two furlongs but could not keep up around the turn, eventually dropping back to finish sixth.
He debuted on the turf, pressing the pace early then weakening to finish last of six behind winner Proletariat and runner-up and Speakeasy rival Arkadelphia.
Sendit Mo is by Yaupon out of Mighty Souper, by War Front, making him a half-brother to multiple stakes-winning Florida-bred Forever Souper, the Florida-bred champion older male and champion turf horse of 2024.
Bred in Florida by Dominique Damico, Sendit Mo twice passed through the auction ring at Ocala Breeders’ Sales. Classic Automations took him for $85,000 out of the Summerfield consignment of Francis and Barbara Vanlangendonck at the 2024 Winter Mixed Sale. Then Paul Sharp consigned him at this year’s OBS March Sale where Kagele bought him for $180,000.
Miller has given the riding assignment to Geovanni Franco and Sendit Mo is 12-1 on the morning line.
Twilight Delight is the 3-1 program favorite for trainer Daniel Leitch and owners Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and KatieRich Stables LLC.
The bay son of Twirling Candy makes his third career start and second stakes appearance on grass after finishing third in the $946,000 Kentucky Downs Juvenile Sprint won by Johnny’s Red Storm going six-and-a-half furlongs on Aug. 31. He broke his maiden by a length-and-three-quarters aganst special weight company going five-and-a-half furlongs at Ellis Park on Aug. 1.
Twilight Delight is the first starter for the stakes-winning Florida-bred mare Midnight Soiree, by Include and has earned $106,831, second among Speakeasy contenders to Arkadelphia with $107,460.
Twilight Delight has jockey Kazushi Kimura and will start from the inside post.
Arkadelphia is 20-1 on the morning line after breaking his maiden in his last race and five career start.
The gelded son of Halladay won a maiden special weight by a length going five furlongs on the turf at Del Mar on Aug. 22. Arkadelphia is stakes-placed with a third to Sandal’s Song in the $100,00 Juvenile Turf Sprint at Gulfstream Park in his first career start.
Luis Mendez trains Arkadelpha for Harrell Ventures LLC and Edwin Maldonado will guide the dark bay or brown gelding from post nine.
Rounding out the field are Dirty Rich and jockey Ricardo Gonzalez, Kyle Frey rides the filly Queen Bay, Later Than Planned (Ire) will have Umberto Rispoli in the irons, Ventry Strand has Hector Barriors named to ride, David Cohen has the call on A. P. Again, Bacio will be ridden by Juan Hernandez, Mirco Demuro is named on the filly Bourbon and Ginger, Brigante will carry Armando Ayuso and Abel Lezcano has the assignment on Thirsty Rebel.
Return to the October 3 issue of Wire to Wire
