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Ward Doubling Down In Stakes On First Two Days Of Keeneland Meet

Two stakes victories in a day makes for a pretty good afternoon, so that means trainer Wesley Ward had a very enjoyable Friday and Saturday to open the 15-day Keeneland Spring Meet in Lexington, Ky.

On the heels of Friday victories by Three Chimneys Farm's Twenty Carat in the Beaumont (G3) and Ken and Sarah Ramsey's Chasing Artie in the Palisades Turf Sprint, Ward doubled up again Saturday with Ten Broeck Farm's Kimari in the Madison (G1) and his Bound for Nowhere in the Shakertown (G2).

“They are both fine this morning,” Ward said about his Saturday stakes winners, adding that neither would run in a stakes at Churchill Downs during Kentucky Derby Week in four weeks. “That is too quick.”

With his second victory in the Shakertown, Bound for Nowhere boosted his career earnings to $999,857. “But, when you add in his pounds and Euros from his races at Ascot, he's a millionaire,” Ward said.

In notching her first graded stakes victory, Kimari turned back the likes of Grade 1 winner Bell's the One, who finished in a dead heat for second in her 2021 debut.

“She's got a few nicks, but nothing we can't manage,” trainer Neil Pessin said of Bell's the One. “I still wouldn't trade horses with anyone.”

Next for Bell's the One figures to be a chance to repeat in the $500,000 Derby City Distaff (G1) Presented by Kendall-Jackson Winey to be run May 1 at Churchill.

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Red-Hot Rosario Rides Kimari To Her Initial Grade 1 Victory In Madison Stakes

Winning his fourth consecutive graded stakes on Saturday's program at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky., Joel Rosario rode Ten Broeck Farm's Kimari to a popular victory in the Grade 1 Madison Stakes. The 4-year-old filly by Munnings came from just off the pace to win by about a length as the 3-5 favorite, covering seven furlongs on a fast main track in 1:21.53. She paid $3.40 to win.

Estilo Talentoso, a 50-1 outsider, and Bell's the One finished in a dead heat for second, with Sanenus fourth and pacesetter Mundaye Call fifth in the field of seven older fillies and mares.

Trained by Wesley Ward, Kimari was winning for the sixth time in 10 career starts. Two of her losses came at Royal Ascot in England, where she finished second in the Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes in 2019 and second again in the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup in 2020. Kimari has won on turf or dirt and on fast tracks and sloppy tracks. She was coming off an easy win in the slop at Oaklawn in the Spring Fever Stakes on Feb. 21, her first start since a third-place finish in the Music City Stakes on turf at Kentucky Downs.

The Madison victory was her first in a Grade 1 race.

Rosario had Kimari in a perfect spot throughout the Madison, sitting just off the lead of Mundaye Call through opening fractions of :22.90, :45.58 and 1:09.29. She took command inside the furlong pole and held sway by three-quarters of a length.

Rosario earlier won the G2 Appalachian Stakes on turf aboard Jouster for Todd Pletcher, the G2 Commonwealth aboard Flagstaff for John Sadler and the G1 Ashland Stakes aboard Malathaat for Pletcher.

Post-race quotes:

Joel Rosario (winning rider of Kimari)

“I wanted to sit a little bit behind the other horses. After she threw her head around a little bit, she was fine. (After she settled), she was running for me then, comfortable, just waiting to let her go.”

Wesley Ward (winning trainer)

“She was a little bit rank. She broke better than she usually does, which put her right into the race. On paper, there really wasn't a lot of speed up front. Everything went our way. As soon as she turned for home, he (Rosario) started riding her. I was a little worried the last part; I wasn't sure seven-eighths (of a mile) is really her game. But this is her track, and this guy (Rosario) is on fire. So we had all the luck with us today.”

Corey Lanerie (rider of Bell's the One, who finished in a dead heat for second with Estilo Talentoso)

“I was very proud of her. Neil (Pessin) brought her over and she was ready, as ready as you can get one for not running. She ran her heart out for me. I'm disappointed we didn't win but very happy with the way she ran. I'm looking forward to her next race, I think she's going to improve more and more.”

Neil Pessin (trainer of Bell's the One)

“(The winner) had a race on us this year. We were coming off the bench. That and maybe if we could have bounced to the outside instead of being inside between horses. I think she's a little better if she's out. That being said, the winner ran a big race. Hopefully we can turn the tables on her over at Churchill (in the Derby City Distaff-G1 on May 1.).”

Paco Lopez (rider of Estilo Talentoso)

“Ran a huge race.”

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Bell’s the One Headlines Madison

Bell's the One (Majesticperfection) tops a competitive field of seven in Keeneland's GI Madison S. Saturday. Winning her first graded event at this oval in the 2019 GII Raven Run S., the bay captured the GIII Winning Colors S. at Churchill last May and checked in third behind Guarana (Ghostzapper) in last year's renewal of this event, which was held in July last year due to the pandemic. She rallied to a nose defeat of GI Kentucky Oaks victress Serengeti Empress (Alternation) in Churchill's GI Derby City Distaff S., also delayed from May to September, and closed 2020 with a late-running third behind champion Gamine (Into Mischief) in the GI Breeders' Cup F/M Sprint S. in Lexington Nov. 7.

The fleet-footed Kimari (Munnings) should provide the early pace Bell's the One needs, but could prove not for catching. Runner-up in the 2019 G2 Queen Mary S. at Royal Ascot, the 'TDN Rising Star' kicked off 2020 with a victory in Oaklawn's Purple Martin S. on the main track in April and returned to the Royal meeting for her next start, where she finished second in the G1 Commonwealth Cup S. June 19. Third in the grassy Music City S. at Kentucky Downs Sept. 15, the bay scored a decisive win in a sloppy renewal of the Spring Fever S. back in Hot Springs Feb. 27. Kimari is three-for-three on the dirt, including her 15-length debut graduation at Keeneland in the spring of 2019.

Sconsin (Include) will likely fly under the radar due to the presence of the top two, but could certainly get a piece. Runner-up in the GIII Beaumont S. at this oval in July, the bay was third to the re-opposing Mundaye Call (Into Mischief) in the Audobon Oaks at Ellis Aug. 9. She broke through at the graded level with a rallying score in Churchill's GII Eight Belles S. Sept. 4 and was fourth in the Breeders' Cup F/M Sprint last out. The homebred prepped for this with a five-panel bullet in :59 2/5 at Fair Grounds Mar. 22.

Also worth a look is GI La Brea S. victress Fair Maiden (Street Boss), who looks to rebound off an eighth-place finish in the GII Santa Monica S. Feb. 13.

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Bell’s The One Returns In Saturday’s Grade 1 Madison At Keeneland

Lothenbach Stables' Bell's the One, winner of the Derby City Distaff (G1) and third in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1), headlines a field of seven fillies and mares entered Tuesday for the 20th running of the $300,000 Madison (G1) for fillies and mares going 7 furlongs on the main track at Keeneland.

The Madison, one of six graded stakes on Saturday's 11-race program, will be run as the 10th race with a 6:02 p.m. post time. First post time Saturday is 1:05 p.m.

Trained by Neil Pessin, Bell's the One will be making her 2021 debut in the Madison. Winner of the 2019 Raven Run (G2) here, Bell's the One will be ridden by Corey Lanerie and break from post position four.

Also exiting the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint and making her 2021 debut is Sconsin, who finished a half-length behind Bell's the One in the Breeders' Cup. Owned by Lloyd Madison Farms IV and trained by Greg Foley, Sconsin will be ridden by James Graham and break from post position six.

Another Grade 1 winner in the field is Godolphin's homebred Fair Maiden, winner of the La Brea in December at Santa Anita.

Trained by Eoin Harty, Fair Maiden was a troubled fourth in last fall's Qatar Fort Springs here on the Breeders' Cup undercard. Brian Hernandez Jr. has the mount and will break from post position seven.

The field for the Madison, with riders and weights from the rail out, is: Sanenus (Javier Castellano, 118 pounds), Estilo Talentoso (Jesus Castanon, 118), Mundaye Call (Florent Geroux, 118), Bell's the One (Lanerie, 120), Kimari (Joel Rosario, 118), Sconsin (Graham, 118) and Fair Maiden (Hernandez, 123).

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