The Kentucky Derby (G1) may be nine months away, but it's never too early to dream.
Just ask Lance Gasaway.
Two years after Gasaway and his family and partners bred and owned Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan , they have another colt with trainer Ken McPeek that is igniting those rosy thoughts once again.
Winning for the second time in as many starts, 4G Racing's Twinkle Town turned in an impressive performance to score by 6 lengths in the $250,000 Saratoga Special Stakes (G2) for 2-year-olds Aug. 1 at Saratoga Race Course.
"Mystik Dan didn't win first time out," said Gasaway, who co-bred Twinkle Town and Mystik Dan, and whose relatives comprise the 4G Racing team, which also bred Twinkle Town along with Clint Gasaway. "The Southwest Stakes was where he really showed off. So I guess expectations are going to be a lot earlier than with Mystik Dan. It's a long time to wait."
Like Mystik Dan, Twinkle Town has a pedigree that leans toward two turns, being a son of Take Charge Indy . But the gray or roan colt has plenty of speed as he led at each call through fractions of :21.82 and :45.26, and crossed the wire in 1:16.44 for 6 1/2 furlongs.
"It's a little bit out of my game to have a 2-year-old go :21 and change and keep going, right?" McPeek said. "So that's very nice, but what I'm most proud of is Take Charge Indy, Take Charge Lady (the dam of Take Charge Indy). It seems like it worked."
Gasaway said the intent in breeding the Liam's Map mare Southern Grayce to Take Charge Indy was to get some speed into Twinkle Time. That was surely successful as judged by a front-running maiden win before the Saratoga Special and glowing reports from exercise rider Robby Albarado, who was hospitalized July 30 for successful surgery to clear a heart blockage.
"I saw Robby in the hospital this morning. He said they are not going to beat this horse. He can go to the front or lay off," Gasaway said.
Speed was the option Saturday as Twinkle Town ($9.08) broke sharply under Jose Ortiz and never stopped running until he crossed the wire.
Jackpot Farm, Alvin Fults, Jason Itkin, and Michael Smith's Booked, the Sanford Stakes (G3) winner, broke slowly but chased Twinkle Town throughout and was second best.
"He's a solid horse, but a good horse won," trainer Steve Asmussen said about the Yaupon colt.
Al Gold's How's Al Today was 7 lengths behind Booked, third in the field of six. The son of Munnings trained by Riley Mott was coming off a debut win at Churchill Downs.
Flight Command, the 8-5 favorite, stumbled at the start, raced wide, and finished last.
McPeek said Twinkle Town will likely target the Sept. 6 Hopeful Stakes (G1) at the Spa, followed by the Champagne Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park.
"I'd like to get that," he said about the Champagne.
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