KINGSTON, Jamaica - Ever so often trainer Christopher Pearson comes to the fore with a talented sprinter. They may not have been Classic prospects but the likes of Rocket Lily, Secret Law, Vikuna are just a few on that particular list. Not to mention the versatile Action Ann, who stamped her credentials over the middle distances.
Now, Pearson, the brother of another trainer Robert Pearson, has again surfaced with three-year-old bay filly Speedie Hare, who by all indications will be a force to reckon with over short distances.
The aptly named Somora Clarke-owned filly showed good speed at exercise in the lead-up to her debut and again demonstrated the same in a Maiden Special Weight event at 5 furlongs straight (1,000m) on Saturday, January 14, 2023.
Sent off at odds of 6-1, Speedie Hare (Conquest Cherimash –Honeymoon Bay) was not the best away when the gates opened in the seven-horse field but was quickly corrected by apprentice Shavon Townsend, who opted to bide his time from there.
As She’s A Mirage (Robert Halledeen) dictated the pace with Curlin’s Noon (Tevin Foster) and Tru Identity (Oshane Nugent) in tow, Speedie Hare gradually entered the fray, along with Truly Begotten Son (Raddesh Roman).
By the time the field entered the main track, Speedie Hare had already hit top stride and surged through the pack, pulling away at the furlong pole with Townsend having little to do. They won by five and a half lengths going away, stopping the clock in 1:01.1, behind splits of 23.1 and 47.1 seconds.
Truly Begotten Son, Curlin’s Noon and the fast-finishing Roaring Thunder (Andre Powell) completed the frame.
Speedie Hare, who was Pearson’s first start for the year, also handed the trainer a long-overdue win.
“I think for any trainer it is pleasing when a horse wins first time out and obviously as a trainer working hard and getting your first victory in a long while is overwhelming and you feel happy and I am a very happy man,” Pearson said.
“I conditioned her very well and, coming into this race, I knew that she would have a good chance based on the quality of the field. She was always a well-bred horse, but she came into the stables with her problems, but we sorted it out.
“Speedie Hare should have made her debut a week ago but because of certain issues we decided to wait and thought we would just give her a run here and she did very well,” he added.
While the verdict is still out on Speedie Hare’s Classic prospects where the one-mile 1,000 Guineas and other distant events are concerned, Pearson is hopeful more positive results will follow what was indeed a quality debut showing.
“Well, we are hopeful, obviously she is still a youngster and she is still learning how to run, so hopefully she will continue along the path and we can get more winning results with her,” a cheerful Pearson said.
“I think this was a decent enough performance to start and the time of 1:01.3 is not really something to scoff at, especially with her walking out first and foremost and then she was very easy at the end.
“So we will decide on her next set of races based on how she comes out of this one, but we really have high hopes for her and so we can only hope her problems stay away and she continues to improve,” he ended.
