Carl Spackler Romps in Maker's Mark Mile

Carl Spackler (IRE) sent out the message loud and clear: one of the best turf milers in America in 2024 is back and better than ever. The now three-time grade 1 winner turned in arguably one of his finest performances yet in his 5-year-old season opener in the $552,013 Maker' Mark Mile Stakes (G1T) April 11, flaunting his prowess over the Keeneland turf with a dominating 4 1/4-length victory. The Maker's Mark vindicated owner Bob Edwards' decision to keep his stable star in training for one more year. While his chief rival More Than Looks retired to the breeding shed at the end of last year, Carl Spackler recovered from his 2024 campaign at Indian Creek Farm near Paris, Ky. Gaining back his flesh and spunk over his vacation, the son of Lope de Vega (IRE) rejoined trainer Chad Brown's stable over the winter ready to light up the racing world once again. "We just took care of him and figured we would run him another year," Edwards said, who runs Carl Spackler under the moniker of e Five Racing Thoroughbreds. "The family loves him, he's a fan favorite at Saratoga and Keeneland, we're just happy to keep running him." Carl Spackler has long been a special horse to Edwards, who also bred the chestnut, and raced his dam, Zindaya. The daughter of More Than Ready holds a dear place in Edwards' heart, giving the owner his first-ever stakes win in the 2015 License Fee Stakes at Belmont Park. "It looks like (we made the right decision)," Edwards beamed after the Maker's Mark. "That was spectacular. Winning here at Keeneland amongst the best horses in the world and coming off the layoff. "When Flavien (Prat) got off the horse he said he thought he let him out a little early but he just kept on coming." 2024 Eclipse-winning jockey Flavien Prat was riding Carl Spackler for the first time in the Maker's Mark since the 5-year-old's regular rider, Edwards' son-in-law Tyler Gaffalione, is currently benched with a broken ankle from a fall at Gulfstream Park. Bet to 4-5 favoritism in a field reduced to seven older horses with the scratches of Seminole Chief and Santorini, Carl Spackler found himself shuffled back into fourth position early as the gates burst open for Friday's main event. Taken up under a snug hold, Carl Spackler tracked as many as four lengths behind a loose-on-the-lead Northern Invader and Jose Ortiz. Following measured splits of :23.67 and :48.06, Prat gave the chestnut his head around the three-furlong marker and became simply a passenger from there. Moving with lightning quickness into the lane, Carl Spackler exploded like a "cannon," in the words of one onlooker, to the wire. Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes (G1T) runner-up Integration and grade 1 winner Trikari closed valiantly from off the pace but couldn't touch the indomitable Carl Spackler. Integration, third in last year's Maker's Mark, was second by 1 1/2 lengths over Trikari, who was also making his first start of the year for trainer Graham Motion. "I had a good trip," jockey Frankie Dettori said of Integration. "I love riding the horse. He does not know how to run a bad race... He has been way too good to us; it was a great second. A mile is on the short side for him." Carl Spackler ($3.66) raced the mile in 1:36.56 over a turf course rated as "good" after early morning Friday showers. Shisospicy Fiery Hot in Limestone Score Morplay Racing's Shisospicy has found a home on the turf. After notching a gate-to-wire score in a five-furlong grass allowance event at Gulfstream, the Mitole filly parlayed that success into her first stakes victory in the $293,850 Limestone Stakes earlier on the Friday Keeneland card. "She's a gifted, very nice filly, a special talent," trainer Jose Francisco D'Angelo said of Shisospicy. "I was a little nervous about the surface because at Gulfstream, she ran on hard turf and now it was between muddy and soft. I told (jockey) Irad (Ortiz Jr.) to go with her and not wait too long to make her run. It worked out for her perfectly." Rocketing to the front, the softer turf couldn't stop the speedy Shisospicy's assault through opening fractions of :21.46 and :44.91. Opening up on the field turning for home, Shisospicy was nothing but grit down the stretch, fending off Dreamaway by a half-length under the wire. Favored at 2-1 in the field of 12 3-year-old fillies, Shisospicy ($6.30) clocked the 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:03.94. Abientot, a half-length behind Dreamaway, completed the trifecta.