Awesome Speed Targets Laurel Return in Federico Tesio
Awesome Speed Targets Laurel Return in Federico Tesio
LAUREL, MD - Colts Neck Stables’ multiple stakes winner Awesome Speed, who had a three-race win streak snapped in his last start, makes his return to Laurel Park off a brief freshening in Saturday’s $100,000 Federico Tesio Stakes.
As a Triple Crown nominee, the 3-year-old Awesome Again colt trained by Alan Goldberg is eligible for an automatic ‘Win and You’re In’ berth in the 141st Preakness Stakes (G1) May 21 at Pimlico Race Course.
Goldberg shipped Awesome Speed earlier this week from South Florida where he ran fourth, beaten 13 lengths, in the Fountain of Youth (G2) Feb. 27 at Gulfstream Park. In the race, he was taken out of his front-running style after being bumped hard following the break and floated wide into the first turn.
“There’s not much to take out of the last race. We’re trying to figure it out. He didn’t run very well. I’m not sure whether [the early trouble] was it or not. It’s hard to say, so we’ll throw it out and see where we’re at,” Goldberg said. “He had trained well into that race, really well. It’s just a little bit of a mystery.”
Goldberg won the 2000 Tesio at Pimlico with Runspastum. He cross-entered Awesome Speed in Saturday’s seven-furlong Bay Shore (G3) at Aqueduct, where he drew post two of eight.
Awesome Speed will break from post four at co-highweight of 122 pounds in the seven-horse Tesio, carded second on Saturday’s 10-race program that includes the $100,000 Weber City Miss for 3-year-old fillies, a ‘Win and You’re In’ event for the Black-Eyed Susan (G2) May 20 at Pimlico.
In two previous starts at Laurel, Awesome Speed broke his maiden by 3 ¾ lengths Oct. 10 and came back with a three-quarter length victory in the James F. Lewis III Stakes Nov. 14 to end his juvenile campaign. Both races came at six furlongs.
Awesome Speed opened his 3-year-old season at Gulfstream Park Jan. 2, leading nearly all the way in the one-mile Mucho Macho Man Stakes. He stretches out to 1 1/8 miles around two turns for the Tesio.
“We want to find out if he really wants the trip. It will be a good test for him. He likes the track there and the race in New York, I’m not so sure he’s crazy about being inside,” Goldberg said. “Hopefully he’ll bounce back from the last one and run well. He’s doing fine and been training good. We flew him up a couple days ago and everything has been good so we’re ready to run.”
