Nashville, track record-setter by Speightstown, retires to WinStar Farm

CHC Inc. and WinStar Farm’s track record-setting Nashville, a son of perennial leading stallion Speightstown, has been retired from racing and will stand alongside his accomplished sire at WinStar, the farm announced today.

Blessed with world-class speed, Nashville was a brilliant and undefeated winner of the six-furlong Perryville S. at Keeneland on the 2020 Breeders’ Cup undercard. Nashville may not have won the richest sprint race on the star-studded program that day, but he was the fastest sprint winner on the card.

After sizzling through eye-popping fractions of :21.54 for the opening quarter and :43.87 for the half-mile, Nashville sailed home the easiest of winners. Geared down in the late stages, he crossed the wire 3 ½ lengths ahead of his nearest pursuer in the new track-record time of 1:07.89, earning a 102 Beyer Speed Figure. Nashville’s final clocking proved nearly a second faster than subsequent Eclipse Champion Sprinter Whitmore’s time (1:08.61) in winning the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) later that same day.

“Nashville is the fastest horse we have ever had at WinStar,” said Elliott Walden, president, CEO, and racing manager of WinStar. “He is a freak of nature. Three times he went :43 and change; he led through the first quarter in every start and led after a half in all but one start. The brilliance he showed will give him a big chance at stud. Speightstown is always a plus, already having six sons to sire G1 winners.”

Nashville was a serious racehorse from the beginning, starting his career undefeated in his first three outings for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen. He broke his maiden in dazzling fashion in his career debut, proving much the best with an 11 ½-length romp in a Saratoga maiden special weight at 6 ½ furlongs. After rattling off head-turning fractions of :21.50, :43.87, and 1:07.92, Nashville streaked across the wire in the final time of 1:14.48 and was named a TDN Rising Star for the overpowering performance. In his start prior to the Perryville, Nashville dominated a Keeneland allowance race by 9 ¾ lengths with a career-best 103 Beyer.

This season, Nashville continued his winning ways with a wire-to-wire victory at Fair Grounds in March where he crushed allowance foes by 4 ¾ lengths over six furlongs, covering the distance in 1:08.61, the fastest sprint race of the entire Fair Grounds meet and the fastest time at that distance in more than two years.

By Eclipse Champion Sprinter Speightstown, Nashville is produced from the Mizzen Mast mare Veronique, a half-sister to multiple stakes winner Almond Roca and Graded stakes-placed Calistoga. He hails from the direct female family of Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Giacomo, Santa Anita Derby (G1) winner Tiago, and graded stakes winner and Grade 1-placed Stanwyck. Bred in Kentucky by Breffni Farm, Nashville was a $460,000 graduate of the 2018 Keeneland September Sale where he was acquired by CHC Inc. and Maverick Racing out of the Lane’s End consignment.

For more information about Nashville, contact Liam O’Rourke, Olivia Desch, or Gareth Wigley at 859-873-1717.