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Speaking of Which has final say in Monmouth

Speaking of Which captured the Monmouth Stakes for his second American graded win (Aubrey Therkelsen/Equi-Photo) Moyglare Stud's homebred Speaking of Which ran out of room in the end of his previous two starts as a five-year-old, but made sure that wasn't going to be the case on Sunday as he captured the Grade 2, $217,500 Monmouth Stakes. With Joe Bravo back in the irons for the first time since guiding him to his first American graded victory in the Tropical Turf Handicap in December, the Christophe Clement charge gained command of the race in midstretch and pulled away late to win by 1 1/2 lengths. "I went over the race this morning with Christophe," Bravo said. "We wanted to sit close, but just off the pace. It worked out perfectly and we were able to sit the pocket right in behind. In this big field, it was all about getting the trip. Turning for home, we were able to split horses and he sure came running." Speaking of Which settled in midpack down on the inside as Hard Enough led the field through fractions of :23 4/5, :47 4/5, 1:10 4/5 and 1:34 3/5 before fading late. Speaking of Which moved up into contention on the far turn, angled out into the stretch and was no match for his rivals once he claimed the lead.

Hangover Kid made a strong move late along the rail to get up for second, a half-length over third-place finisher Winning Cause. Guys Reward, Screenplay, Finnegans Wake, Bad Debt, Dannhauser, Admiral Kitten, Hard Enough, Slim Shadey, Tetradrachm, 2-1 favorite Lochte and Tricky Hat brought up the rear. Tannery and Unbridled Ocean were scratched.

Speaking of Which traveled 1 1/8 miles over the firm Monmouth Park turf in 1:46.32 and was just .42 off the track record set by They Call Me Giant on June 20, 2010. Sent off as the 7-2 second choice, he paid $9.60 for the score.

The well-bred son of Invincible Spirit had shown real talent for Dermot Weld in 2012. After romping in the Gallinule at the Curragh in just his third career start, he concluded his Irish career with a third versus older horses in the Kilternan at Leopardstown. Speaking of Which shipped to Southern California for the Twilight Derby, where he looked home free before being nailed by Grandeur at the wire. He had much worse luck next time in the Hollywood Derby. Drafting just behind the leaders turning for home, he appeared to clip heels, checked badly, and never recovered, just loping home last.

Speaking of Which subsequently joined Clement, but disappointed as the 7-5 favorite in the 2013 Fort Marcy. He rebounded from that last-of-six effort when outclassing allowance foes at Monmouth last June 21. Back up in class for the Man o' War, Speaking of Which made an early move before fading to seventh. The dark bay was not seen again until the November 10 Three Coins Up at Aqueduct, closing belatedly for fifth. Speaking of Which improved off that tightener, and was able to put it all together in his next start at Calder in the Tropical Turf Handicap in early December.

Speaking of Which kicked off 2014 with a closing third in the Colonel E. R. Bradley Handicap at Fair Grounds on January 18 and was exiting a fourth-place finish in the Fort Mercy at Belmont last month.

The Irish-bred Speaking of Which has now earned $327,903 from his 14-5-2-2 record. The dark bay is out of the unraced Mr. Prospector mare Suitably Discreet, making him a half-brother to the Group 2-placed Capital Exposure. Suitably Discreet is in turn a half-sister to Grade/Group 2 hero Century City, who placed in the 2002 Irish Two Thousand Guineas and 2003 Breeders' Cup Mile, as well as to stakes scorer Hidden Cat, dam of multiple stakes winner Global Power and stakes scorer Pegasusbystorm.

Speaking of Which's second dam is Canadian Hall of Famer Alywow, who ranked as Canada's Horse of the Year, champion turf horse and champion three-year-old filly in 1994. Alywow was produced by Grade 3 victress Triple Wow, ancestress of Grade 3 victress Wow Me Free and 2012 Premio Parioli (Italian Two Thousand Guineas) winner Malossol. Further back in the family is current Pennsylvania Governor's Cup hero Tightend Touchdown, a dead-heat second in the November 2 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint.

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