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Golden Pal Regains Winning Ways In Woodford Stakes Over Keeneland Turf

Prominent from the start, the Uncle Mo 3-year-old colt Golden Pal, proved too quick for his six rivals in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 Woodford Stakes presented by TVG at Keeneland racecourse in Lexington, Ky.

Ridden by John Velazquez, the Wesley Ward runner went right to the front, fought off a challenge from Firecrow on the turn for home, then pulled away down the stretch under steady encouragement to win by 2 1/4 lengths. He covered 5 1/2 furlongs on good turf in 1:03.12 after fractions of :21.51, :44.53 and :56.67

“He was very game,” said Velazquez. “Before the race – I never rode him so I asked Julio (Garcia, an exercise rider and jockey for trainer Wesley Ward). He said, 'Just put your hands down and he'll run for you; even if he gets passed he'll run for you.' I left him alone and when the other horse (Firecrow) came to him and put the head in front, I was like, 'Hey, we got to come back and run.' I got after him, and he gradually got away from the other horse. It took me two or three jumps to engage him back into the race, and after that he was pretty good.”

Extravagant Kid, an 8-year-old turf veteran from the barn of Brendan Walsh, closed to be second, with County Final another half length back in third, Johnny Unleashed fourth, Inhalation fifth, Firecrow sixth and Charcoal seventh.

“We are delighted,” said Walsh. “We can never be disappointed with this horse. He ran great again. The winner is a very, very good horse. Extravagant Kid is a model of consistency.”

Owned by Mr. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith and Westerberg, Golden Pal was winning for the fourth time in seven career starts. He paid $3 to win as the 1-2 favorite. He was bred in Florida by Randall E. Lowe.

Golden Pal was coming off his worst performance, a seventh-place finish in the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes at York racecourse in England on Aug. 20. One of his other defeats came when narrowly beaten in the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot in June 2020. Out of the crack sprinter Lady Shipman, by Midshipman (she finished second against males in the G1 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Keeneland in 2015), Golden Pal ran off three consecutive victories following the Norfolk, including a victory at Keeneland in the G2 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint.

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Golden Pal Heads Keeneland’s Woodford

Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith and Westerberg's speedy sophomore Golden Pal (Uncle Mo) will face off with 8-year-old Group 1 winning Extravagant Kid in Saturday's 5 1/2-furlong GII Woodford S. at Keeneland. A close-up second in last season's G2 Norfolk S. at Royal Ascot, Golden Pal subsequently reeled off three consecutive stakes wins, including the GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint over this turf course last November followed by a confident victory in Saratoga's Quick Call S. July 15. Trained by Wesley Ward, Golden Pal finished seventh in the G1 Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe at York in England Aug. 20 in his latest start. The Florida bred exits post two and be ridden by John Velazquez.

DARRS Inc.'s Extravagant Kid, winner of the six-furlong G1 Al Quoz Sprint at Meydan in March, will be making his first Keeneland start since finishing fourth in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint last November. Following his win in Dubai, the gelding finished third in the June 15 G1 King's Stand S. at the royal meeting before posting an uncharacteristically poor 14th in the G1 July Cup at Newmarket July 10.

Bob LaPenta and Harlow Stables' Firecrow (Maclean's Music) looks to mark his return to the winner's circle following a fourth last out in Parx's five-panel GIII Turf Monster S. Sept. 25. Prior to that effort, the gelding came home the narrow victor in Pimlico's Jim McKay Turf Sprint S. at five furlongs May 15. Tyler Gaffalione enters the fray to ride.

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Ward-Trained 3-Year-Old Golden Pal Faces Veteran Extravagant Kid In Saturday’s Woodford

The youngster, 3-year-old Golden Pal, and the veteran, 8-year-old Extravagant Kid, top a field of seven entered Wednesday for Saturday's 25th running of the $200,000 Woodford (G2) Presented by TVG going 5½ furlongs over the Keeneland turf course.

The Woodford Presented by TVG is the first of five graded stakes on Saturday's 11-race program and will go as the sixth race with a 3:40 p.m. post time. First post Saturday is 1 p.m.

Ranlo Investments' Golden Pal will be making his first Keeneland start since winning the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2) here to kick off the World Championships program. Trained by Wesley Ward, Golden Pal finished seventh in the Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe (G1) at York in England in August in his most recent start.

Golden Pal will exit post two and be ridden by John Velazquez.

DARRS Inc.'s Extravagant Kid, earner of more than $1.6 million and winner of the Al Quoz Sprint Sponsored by Azizi Developments (G1) in Dubai in March, will be making his first Keeneland start since finishing fourth in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1) last November. Prior to that, he finished second in the Woodford Presented by TVG.

Trained by Brendan Walsh, Extravagant Kid drew post position six and will be ridden by Jose Ortiz.

The field for the Woodford Presented by TVG, with riders and weights from the inside, is:

Johnny Unleashed (Gerardo Corrales, 120 pounds)
Golden Pal (Velasquez, 118)
Inhalation (GB) (Adam Beschizza, 120)
Firecrow (Tyler Gaffalione, 120)
Charcoal (Corey Lanerie, 120)
Extravagant Kid (Ortiz, 124)
County Final (Ricardo Santana Jr., 118)

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‘Time Is Precious!’: Dettori Hoping US-Trained Extravangant Kid Can Land Him Elusive July Cup Victory

Jockey Frankie Dettori is hoping Extravagant Kid can finally fill the only major gap on his British racing CV by landing the Darley July Cup on Saturday (July 10th) at Newmarket.

The six furlong contest is the only domestic Group One race the 50 year old has yet to win, although he has ridden the runner-up on three occasions – Iffraaj (2006), Advertise (2019) and Sceptical (2020).

Dettori said: “I have been living in Newmarket since 1985 and outside of the Guineas this is our biggest race, so I would of course love to be able to win it. I have won races all over the world and it is this one in my hometown that is proving the most difficult.

“I thought I was finally going to do it a couple of years ago on Advertise but he was no match for Ten Sovereigns in the finish and Sceptical ran a great race last year.

Hopefully, I can finally get a July Cup winner – I am 50 years old and so time is precious!”

Extravagant Kid is trained by US-based Brendan Walsh and is a 12-1 chance with bet365 for the race. Winner of the Group One Al Quoz Sprint at Meydan, UAE, in March, the eight year old has stayed on in Britain since finishing third on his British debut behind Oxted in the Group One King's Stand Stakes over five furlongs at Royal Ascot on June 15th.

Oxted won the Darley July Cup in 2020 and lines up again on Saturday, when he will bid to become the first back-to-back winner of the prestigious sprint since Right Boy in 1958 and 1959.

Assessing the chances of Extravagant Kid on Saturday, Dettori said: “I am not sure he is the best horse in the race but he is the best ride that I could get.

“Oxted thrashed us at Royal Ascot and we have it all to do to reverse the form with him. However, my horse will like the ground and is an honest performer who stays six furlongs well.

“With 19 runners it should hopefully be a strongly run race which will suit and we are drawn in stall 12, which is quite close to Oxted (drawn 16) and that is hopefully where the pace is going to be.”

Dettori was present at Wembley for Italy's Euro 2020 semi-final victory in a penalty shootout over Spain on Tuesday night, which he described as an “emotional rollercoaster”.

However, he will not be at Wembley for Sunday's final against England. He added: “England are going to have the advantage of having the home crowd on their side on Sunday but unfortunately I won't be able to attend as I am going away for a few days with my wife.

“We booked this a while ago and I owe her some time away after approaching two years when it has not been possible to go on holiday!”

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