O’NEILL’S PALI KITTEN SPRINGS 13-1 UPSET IN $100,000 SPEAKEASY STAKES FOR 2-YEAR-OLDS GOING 5 FURLONGS ON TURF SATURDAY AT SANTA ANITA

ARCADIA, CA (Oct. 5, 2024)—Pali Kitten, the longest shot on the board at 13-1, went last-to-first under Kazushi Kimura to upset Saturday’s $100,000 Speakeasy Stakes for 2-year-olds going five furlongs on turf at Santa Anita.

Eastern shipper Dreamaway, the heavy 1-5 favorite for trainer Wesley Ward, went straight to the front under Juan Hernandez and showed the way into mid-stretch. It was then that Smash It, the 2-1 second choice with Umberto Rispoli up, collared Dreamaway for the lead while Pali Kitten came rallying on the outside. It was then a two-horse race to the wire with Pali Kitten crossing the wire a neck in front for trainer Doug O’Neill.

“Everybody in these races ultimately wants to get the lead. So, I just focused on taking it easy and finishing up strong,” said Kimura, a 24-year-old native of Japan. “Thankfully, everything worked out well and we were able to do just that.” Runner-up Smash It, trained by Todd Fincher, finished 3 ¼ lengths clear of Dreamaway in third with Tiz Happy completing the order of finish. Fractions for the race were 21.63 and 44.67 seconds with Pali Kitten finishing in a final time of 56.11 seconds.

The Speakeasy serves as a potential steppingstone to the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint Nov. 1 at Del Mar.

A 2-year-old colt by Vino Rosso, Pali Kitten entered off a $100,000 maiden-claiming win going six furlongs on dirt at Del Mar Aug. 18. Purchased for $82,000 at this year’s OBS April sale of 2-year-olds in training, he is campaigned by Scott Knight, James F. Cahill and Robert A Bambauer et. all.

“We have a horse that is two for three, we are rocking and rolling,” Knight said. “What a race. We have so much fun with the O’Neill crew. Doug loves running on the turf, he always loves running on the turf… Doug is brilliant at placing horses. He’s two and still learning the ropes. He proved today that he was going to run them down.”

With no show wagering, Pali Kitten paid $29.80 and $8.00. Smash it Paid $4.00 to place.