Twinkle Town Fuels a New Stakes Dream for Kenny McPeek
- Turf Diario
- Aug 3
- 3 min read
The undefeated son of Take Charge Indy dominated the Saratoga Special (G2) wire-to-wire and already sparks dreams of following the Kentucky Derby winner's trail; Flight Command, a son of Flightline, proved a disappointment after entering as the favorite
SARATOGA SPRINGS, New York (Special for Turf Diario).— There are still 9 months to go until the next Kentucky Derby (G1), but in American racing, it is never too early to start dreaming. Much less when a two-year-old colt displays exceptional talent and is backed by a team that already knows what it takes to conquer the Run for the Roses.
That is precisely what transpired Saturday at Saratoga, where Twinkle Town confirmed all the promise he had shown on debut by scoring a commanding victory in the Saratoga Special Stakes (G2), contested over 1,300 meters for a $250,000 purse.
The winner races for 4G Racing, the same family operation led by Lance Gasaway that just two seasons ago bred and co-owned Mystik Dan (Goldencents), the Kentucky Derby hero, and is once again under the care of Kenny McPeek.
"Mystik Dan didn't win on debut. It wasn’t until the Southwest Stakes that he really showed what he was. With this colt, the expectations come much earlier, though there is still a long way to go," commented Gasaway, understandably full of hope.
Undefeated in two starts, Twinkle Town demonstrated once again that he possesses rare speed for a horse whose pedigree clearly points to longer distances. A son of Take Charge Indy and Southern Grayce (Liam's Map), he broke like a shot under José Ortiz, set the pace right from the jump, and never gave his rivals a chance.
The fractions of 21s82/100 and 45s26/100 were demanding, but the gray never yielded his rhythm, crossing the line with a six-length advantage in 1m16s44/100 for the 1,300 meters.
"It is not typical in my stable to have a 2-year-old capable of setting a quarter in 21 and change and keep going like that. What excites me most is that the mating with Take Charge Indy really worked," noted McPeek.
The idea behind the cross was precisely to inject speed into a stamina-oriented family, and the results appear to have exceeded expectations. Even veteran Robby Albarado, who gallops the colt in the mornings and is currently recovering from heart surgery, had anticipated what was to come.
"I saw him this morning at the hospital and he told me they weren't going to beat him. He can run on the lead or wait if needed," shared Gasaway.
This time, there was no need for tactics. Ortiz let his mount run freely from the start, and the rest of the field could only chase in vain.
Finishing second was Booked (Yaupon), recent winner of the Sanford Stakes (G3), who broke somewhat slowly and was never able to bridge the gap. "He is a good horse; today there was simply a better one," acknowledged trainer Steven Asmussen.
Far back, another seven lengths adrift, How's Al Today (Munnings) completed the trifecta, while the major disappointment of the race was Flight Command. The son of champion Flightline, who generated considerable attention as the favorite, stumbled leaving the gates, raced uncomfortably wide throughout, and finished last in a performance far below expectations.
For Twinkle Town, by contrast, the horizon grows brighter by the day. McPeek confirmed that the next target will be the Hopeful Stakes (G1), back at Saratoga on September 6, before attempting a double in the Champagne Stakes(G1) at Belmont Park.
With just two starts under his belt, the undefeated colt has already sparked inevitable comparisons to Mystik Dan. The road to the Derby remains long, but the team at 4G Racing and Ken McPeek knows better than anyone that great dreams often begin in just this way.
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