CHARLATAN did not see a racecourse until mid-February this year, a month after Nadal had caught the eye of many with a winning debut. It was the same story with this $700,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase when he took his first racecourse steps at Santa Anita and he later added an allowance victory to head into the Arkansas Derby two for two.

While not tried at stakes level, Charlatan (Speightstown) was still sent off a long odds-on favourite for the first division of the weekend highlight in the USA and he did not disappoint. He romped – and the term is appropriate in this instance – to a six-length win and in an impressive time. He was bred by Barbara Banke at her Stonestreet Farms and, though he was sold at public auction, she retains an interest in the colt with a number of other partners.

Ms Banke purchased the dam of Charlatan for $1.2 million almost seven years ago. Authenticity, a daughter of Quiet American (Fappiano), was offered at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale in the days following her gallant effort in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Distaff when she ran third to Beholder. She was surely unlucky to have ended her career not having won a Grade 1.

In fact, she did not win a race of any type until the age of four, though this was due to an injury which kept the $250,000 yearling off the track until then. She won her maiden on her second outing and then injury again sidelined her. At the age of six she proved her ability and toughness when her year was highlighted by success in the Grade 2 La Troienne Stakes at Churchill Downs and the Grade 3 Shuvee Handicap at Saratoga. She was runner-up no less than three times at Grade 1 level, in the Personal Ensign Handicap. Ogden Phipps Handicap and the Zenyatta Stakes.

Struck gold

She struck gold at stud when her first foal, the Stonestreet-raced Halalei Moon (Malibu Moon) became a stakes winner in 2019, and Charlatan is just her second offspring. She has an unraced two-year-old son Bennyfromthebronx (Tapit) who looks exceptional value for the $300,000 price tag he commanded last September at Keeneland. This year’s yearling is an Into Mischief (Harlan’s Holiday) filly – her sire stands for $175,000 this year - and last year the mare visited Curlin (Smart Strike) who incidentally also costs $175,000 this year at Hill ‘n’ Dale.

By the broodmare sire of notables such as Saint Liam and Bernardini, Authenticity comes from a family deeply ingrained in American breeding, She is by some way the best runner for her unraced dam Court Of Appeal (Deputy Minister), the other three winners including the stakes-placed Brielle’s Appeal (English Channel) and last year’s winner Murrells Inlet (Super Saver), successful on her only outing.

Charlatan’s third dam Appealing Missy (Lypheor) started her racing career in France where she was a listed winner at Maisons-Laffitte at three when trained by Francois Boutin. She went to race in the USA where she became a prolific scorer, posting victories in the Grade 3 California Jockey Club Handicap and Buena Vista Handicap. She came close to being a Grade 1 winner, instead having to settle for second place in the Santa Ana Handicap.

At stud Appealing Missy’s four winners are led by the stakes-winner and Grade 2-placed Statement (Seattle Slew), her granddaughter Rahy’s Appeal (Rahy) won the Grade 2 Top Flight Handicap), and she is third dam of the English listed winner The Rectifier (Langfuhr). Appealing Missy’s winning half-sister Goldie Pops (Strike The Gold) bred Grade 2 winner Redaspen (Bianconi).

Physique

In the far reaches of this pedigree there appears a horse, foaled in 1926, named Clyde Van Dusen (Man O’War). He was trained by a man with the same name – yes, he was named after the trainer, a former jockey – but such was his unimpressive physique that the horse was gelded, in spite of his breeding. He was described as “a mere pony of a horse, with a weedy frame”, while his trainer said that “Clyde is a little horse, and that is why Mr Gardner named him after me.”

Well, the little horse turned out to have a big heart and plenty of racing ability. A multiple stakes winner at two, including the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes, at three he lost his prep race for the 1929 Kentucky Derby, and was drawn 20 of the 21 starters for the classic. He won by two lengths in one of the slowest times on record for the Kentucky Derby.

Clyde Van Dusen was the seventh gelding to win the Kentucky Derby in the first 55 runnings of the race, and the last until Funny Cide did so 74 years later. After his retirement he was used as an exercise pony by his trainer.

The veteran Speightstown, now 22 years of age and standing for $70,000 at WinStar, also has a story similar to that of Charlatan’s dam. He too reached his peak at the age of six, and some of his best known progeny have done likewise. Unplaced in a single start at two, the sprinter Speightstown won four of his seven starts at three and was runner-up in the Grade 2 Amsterdam Stakes to City Zip. However, he was to miss out completely on his four-year-old season and won one of his two starts at five.

Perseverance paid off though and at the age of six he dominated the sprinting division when he won five of his six starts and was crowned champion. His sole Grade 1 success was at Lone Star Park when he won the six-furlong Breeders’ Cup Sprint, adding to a trio of Grade 2 triumphs. A son of Gone West (Mr Prospector), he shares his sire with Zafonic, Da Hoss, Johar, Grand Slam, Proud Citizen and Elusive Quality.

At stud Speightstown has shown great versatility and Charlatan is his 18th Group/Grade 1 winner. Outside the USA they include Reynaldothewizard (Dubai Golden Shaheen), Lord Shanakill (Prix Jean Prat) and the recent Takamatsunomiya Kinen winner Mozu Superflare, while in America his winners include Tamarkuz (Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile), Golden Ticket (Travers Stakes), Sharing (Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf in 2019).