Favored Speak Logistics, able to dictate a soft pace under Angel Serpa, was too much to catch in the stretch as he posted a 2 3/4-length win in the $300,000 In Reality Division of the Florida Stallion Stakes series for 2-year-olds at Calder Casino & Race Course Oct. 13 (VIDEO).
Speak Logistics was coming off a front-running 5 3/4-length maiden tally at Monmouth Park Aug. 12 for trainer Eddie Plesa Jr. and owner Ralph Nabavi. By High Cotton out of the winning Summer Squall mare Miss Sabrina, Speak Logistics was bred in Florida by Centaur Farms and sold for $62,000 at the April OBS sale.
Sent off as the 9-5 favorite in the field of 10 state-bred juveniles, Speak Logistics was clocked in 1:47.79 for the 1 1/16-mile test over a good main track. Two T's At Two B, winner of the FSS-opening Dr. Fager Divison July 28, finished second with Uptown Anthem a distant third.
In the rich finale to the Florida stallion series, Speak Logistics broke best along the inside and led Two T's At Two B while slowing the pace to a crawl. Fractions were :25.16, :50.82, and 1:15.62, but no one was able to put much pressure on Speak Logistics, who maintained his hefty advantage over Two T's At Two B in the lane all the way to the wire while extended late.
"Somebody had to set the pace," a happy Plesa told HRTV afterward. "Angel did a masterful job of slowing the pace down. The longer the other riders waited (to move), the better it looked for us."
"We knew he was a monster," Nabavi added. "It's all up to Eddie where we go next."
Speak Logistics, who debuted with a fourth-place effort versus maidens at Monmouth July 8, won his next start when stretched out to a mile for the first time Aug. 12. He earned $176,700 for the In Reality victory, boosting his career bankroll to $202,700.
"I ride that horse, I know he's really good in the mornings," said Serpa, who has been aboard Speak Logistics in all of his races thus far. "Eddie tell me just concentrate on your horse."
Serpa earlier won the FSS series finale for 2-year-old fillies, the $300,000 My Dear division, aboard Verso a Verso in a 10-1 upset.
"I'm really so happy right now, I almost don't know what to say it feels so good," Serpa said following his front-running win in the day's finale aboard Speak Logistics. "Every horse I rode today just felt so comfortable out there, and I felt so good aboard them. Everything just clicked."
Under equal weights of 118 pounds, Speak Logistics paid $5.60, $4, and $2.80, and keyed a $24.80 exacta with second choice Two T's At Two B. The runner-up paid $4.20 and $3.20 with Eduardo Nunez aboard. Uptown Anthem, ridden by Juan Leyva, paid $5 to show.
Joshua's Comprise was fourth, followed by C D Gold, Dixie High, Hear Me Comin, D'nied Permission, Tiger Distinction, and Beach Master.