Perhaps this Prince of Wales's will be more about these horses' weaknesses than their strengths, with any cracks sure to be exposed by the other three in what promises to be a showcase for the sport's competitive elite. Aidan O'Brien and his collective have had to endure as much disappointment as joy with Luxembourg so far, with physical ailments taking him out of last year's Derby picture and leading to his no-show in the Arc. With the master of Ballydoyle, the real story is usually read between the lines of his comments, particularly post-race, and significantly this colt was described as “not for kids” by him following his courageous all-the-way Tattersalls Gold Cup triumph last time. That brought up his stable's 400th top-level winner since it started in motion in June 1993 and you get the sense that this is the latest in a line of those to emanate from Rosegreen with a disposition of granite.

Adayar, who provided Frankel with his first Derby winner before bringing the King George back into the Classic-crop conversation here two years ago, has had his own spell in the wilderness only to bounce back from adversity. So close to winning the Champion here in October, this mighty thoroughbred has enjoyed a far smoother preparation in 2023 and will carry the aspirations of all those Derby worshippers out there.

Bay Bridge, who can be seen as at least a moral dead-heater of this 12 months ago once study of the sectionals is carried out, probably needs more rain for this race to breach a tipping point away from the others. That said, even on a sound surface this is a valid member of a list of rarities cultivated down the decades by racing's ace horticulturalist Sir Michael Stoute. Despite losing Desert Crown (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) out of the picture, the trainer's assistant trainer James Savage is under no illusions as to what is required on Wednesday afternoon. “The mile-and-a-quarter division is as strong as I have seen,” he stated.

Wednesday opens customarily with the G2 Queen Mary S., where the Karl Burke stable responsible for last year's tour de force Dramatised (Ire) (Showcasing {GB}) is the most feared once again by bookies and opponents alike thanks to the Nottingham effort of Beautiful Diamond (GB) (Twilight Son {GB}). “I'm hoping she will be there in a ding-dong,” commented Bruce Raymond, racing manager for her owner Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum. “The timing of the race is tight from her run at Nottingham, but really that's an after-the-race excuse.” One of Royal Ascot's top sires Dark Angel supplies the yard's other key hope, the Listed Marygate Fillies' S. winner Got To Love A Grey (GB), as well as the Richard Fahey-trained Hilary Needler Trophy scorer Midnight Affair (Ire) as England's re-emerging North maintains its high standards.

This is no ordinary Queen Mary, with added spice provided by a big US presence not just about Wesley Ward but also George Weaver and Thomas Morley. The good news for all is that we get to see Johnny Velazquez, Joel Rosario and Javier Castellano and possibly Irad Ortiz, Jr. too if he gets over the ill-timed bout of food poisoning that ruled him out of Tuesday's action. Flying the TDN Rising Star standard is Laurence Holder's Yarmouth winner Born To Rock (Ire) (Soldier's Call {GB}).

In the G2 Duke of Cambridge S., Frankie renews his partnership with Andrew Rosen and Marc Chan's G3 Princess Elizabeth S. winner Prosperous Voyage (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}), despite the Gosdens saddling last year's G1 Sun Chariot S. third Grande Dame (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}). Is that a clue? Chan's racing manager Jamie McCalmont said of Prosperous Voyage, who upset Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in the G1 Falmouth S. last July. “It's a bit different competition to Epsom here, but she didn't have a hard race there and that should set her up for a good performance.” Grande Dame gives Doreen Tabor a strong hand, with the G3 Valiant S. scorer Jumbly (GB) (Gleneagles {Ire}) sporting the first colours from Owning Hill having cost 1.25million gns at Tatts December.

Frankie's unbeaten Listed Cocked Hat S.-winning mount Gregory (GB) (Golden Horn {GB}) is a big deal for Wathnan Racing in the G2 Queen's Vase, where the Royal colours are carried by the Stoute runner Circle Of Fire (GB) (Almanzor {Fr}). This race also marks a landmark moment for the Crisfords as they saddle their first runner for Godolphin after the operation acquired the well-touted Chesspiece (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}).

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Additionally, the connections will receive a $25,000 equine travel stipend.

“1/ST RACING is thrilled to announce this new global partnership with Ascot Racecourse,” Aidan Butler, Chief Executive Officer, 1/ST Racing & Gaming, said. “Gulfstream Park is honored to host two automatic qualifiers to challenge the world's best at this year's Royal Ascot meeting,”.

Royal Ascot will be held this year from Jun. 20-24.

“We're thrilled to be partnering with 1/ST RACING on this initiative and building on the already solid foundations of success that American juveniles have at Royal Ascot. Hopefully the incentives will attract a quality field and we look forward to welcoming their connections at Ascot,” Nick Smith, Director of Racing and Public Affairs, Ascot Racecourse, said.

The six juvenile races during the June Royal Ascot meeting are:
June 20
-The G2 Coventry, 6 furlongs
June 21
-The G2 Queen Mary, 5 furlongs, fillies
-The Windsor Castle, 5 furlongs, listed
June 22
-The G2 Norfolk, five furlongs
June 23
-The G3 Albany, 6 furlongs, fillies
June 24
-The Chesham Stakes, listed

Nominations for the Royal Palm Juvenile and Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies close Apr. 30.

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Dramatised, who beat the dual subsequent winner Malrescia (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) hollow on her racecourse bow at the Guineas meeting, could be asked to carry her considerable speed over an extra furlong now according to Burke. “We'll certainly consider the [G1] Prix Morny,” he said. “There's still more to come from her. I think she was just green at Newmarket, where she was jamming on the brakes and still clocked a fast time. I think she will stay six. We trained her dam and she was good enough to be a Guineas filly. We could be looking at the Cheveley Park at the end of the year, but I'm not sure she'd be a Guineas filly, that might be a stretch.”

Clipper Logistics' Steve Parkin added, “We started in racing 20 years ago and, through a guy called Joe Foley, I started a breeding operation and this is our first big winner in terms of something we have bred. She has come from the farm and it is a huge thrill. We saw her as a baby, watched her develop on the farm and to watch her come through like that is very special and very emotional. This is a five-to-ten-year plan, and to come here and have a homebred winner so early in the stud's life is a massive thrill. It is the biggest thrill in my life, apart from having my children.”

Foley, who acts as Parkin's bloodstock advisor, added, “Karl told me last night it was only a matter of how far today! Trainers usually get scared coming into a run, but I had to tell him to stop talking. Her dam Katie's Diamond ran away going to the start in the Boussac, she ran away in the race, and was still in front 50 yards from the line. She was a highly-talented mare, but a bit crazy. She is a beautiful-looking mare. She has a belting yearling filly by Night of Thunder, a beautiful colt foal by Pinatubo, he is gorgeous, and she is in-foal to Showcasing.”

Michael Bell said of Maylandsea, who was further advertising the prowess of first-season sire sensation Havana Grey, “That was an excellent run. She's a filly with a big future, hopefully. I think the winner is very highly-regarded and beat us fair and square today, but this is a very nice filly going forward.” Jockey Kieran Shoemark said of Maria Branwell, “She travelled nicely, but actually when I let her down, the ground was quick enough for her really. She'll get six furlongs and is an exciting filly for the rest of the year.”

The aforementioned Katie's Diamond captured the Listed Empress S. and was third in the G3 Prix du Calvados and, as Joe Foley recounted, finished fifth in the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac on her penultimate start. A half to the dam of the GIII Jimmy Durante S.third Quattroelle (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), she hails from the family of the G3 Prix Miesque winner Aquatinta (Ger) (Samum {Ger}).

Wednesday, Ascot, Britain
QUEEN MARY S.-G2, £115,000, Ascot, 6-15, 2yo, f, 5fT, :59.34, g/f.
1–DRAMATISED (IRE), 128, f, 2, by Showcasing (GB)
1st Dam: Katie's Diamond (Fr) (SW-Eng & GSP-Fr), by Turtle Bowl (Ire)
2nd Dam: Aaliyah (Ger), by Anabaa
3rd Dam: Arpista (Ger), by Chief Singer (Ire)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. O-Clipper Logistics; B-Branton Court Stud (IRE); T-Karl Burke; J-Daniel Tudhope. £68,080. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $91,722. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Maylandsea (GB), 128, f, 2, Havana Grey (GB)–Different (GB), by Bahamian Bounty (GB). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (40,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT; 100,000gns 2yo '22 TATBRE). O-Middleham Park Racing LXXI & Partners; B-Denniff Farms Ltd (GB); T-Michael Bell. £25,749.
3–Maria Branwell (Ire), 128, f, 2, James Garfield (Ire)–Princess Pearl (Ire), by Teofilo (Ire). 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (€22,000 Ylg '21 GOAUTY). O-Bronte Collection 1; B-Barry Kennedy & Anna Murphy (IRE); T-David O'Meara. £12,869.
Margins: 1 3/4, 1 1/4, NO. Odds: 2.50, 28.00, 9.00.
Also Ran: Love Reigns (Ire), Miami Girl (Ire), Katey Kontent (GB), Olivia Maralda (Ire), Carmela (Ire), Funny Money Honey (Ire), Lady Tilbury (GB), Yahsat (Ire), Omniqueen (GB), The Platinum Queen (Ire), Manhattan Jungle (Ire), Primrose Ridge (GB), Queen of Deauville (Ire), Lady Beano (Ire), Grand Oak (Ire), Lost Angel (Ire), One More Olly (GB), All The Time (Ire). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

Dramatised wins the G2 Queen Mary for @karl_burke and Clipper Logistics. She also gives Daniel Tudhope his third winner of the Royal meeting so far. A 1-2 in the race for sires @WhitsburyManor to note too. pic.twitter.com/65hwJ1CxxR

— TDN (@theTDN) June 15, 2022

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Successful 12 months ago when upgrading his profile, Sheikh Zayed bin Mohammed Racing's Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) returns from a spell of international duty having finished fourth in Keeneland's GI Breeders' Cup Turf and won the Mar.  27 G1 Dubai Turf. Exactly what his capabilities are is yet to be ascertained, but this should answer some questions. “It will be exciting taking on Love,” John Gosden said. “She was exceptional last year, but she only raced against her own sex. I was thinking she was the one for the Arc, but that wound up on what the jockeys say was the deepest ground ever at Longchamp. I also like Armory a lot. It's a nice edition–one of those small but select fields.”

Love is joined by her talented stablemate Armory (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who took time to establish himself at the top table last season but came good when third in the G1 Irish Champion S. at Leopardstown in September before finishing runner-up in the G1 Cox Plate at Moonee Valley the following month. He looked prepped for a profitable campaign when brushing aside 'TDN Rising Star' Sangarius (GB) (Kingman {GB}) on his return in Chester's G3 Huxley S. May 7 and will relish this testing mile-and-a-quarter trip. “This race has always been the plan for Armory and that is why he went to Chester, to get ready for it,” his trainer explained. “We were delighted with him at Chester and we've been delighted with him since as well. Going to Chester, we were a little bit worried about how he'd handle the soft ground, but good, fast ground is what he likes and needs.”

Ryan Moore spoke of the Ballydoyle duo on his Betfair blog and said, “You clearly have to respect every horse in here and Lord North is a top-class operator on his day, as he showed when dismissing Addeybb in this race last season and winning in Dubai last time, but he will be need to be on a going day to deal with Love and Armory. We haven't seen Love since she won the Yorkshire Oaks last August, but Aidan has just been waiting for better ground for her and she will get that here. This will be the deepest pool she has swum in class-wise and her first run over this mile-and-a-quarter trip, but this is a wide-margin winner of an Oaks and a Guineas we are talking about here and it will take a good colt, or mare, to beat her. I wouldn't be at all surprised if Armory did though. His form took off at the back-end last season, when he finished third in the Irish Champion S. before going over to Australia for the Cox Plate only for the ground to [go] against him late. So to finish second there was some effort and I was really very impressed by his Chester win from Sangarius first time up. He is a very exciting colt with more to give and he will love this ground.”

Like Love, Alison Swinburn's Audarya (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) also marks her 2021 debut and last year's G1 Prix Jean Romanet and GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf heroine is an intriguing runner with James Fanshawe unaccustomed to sending horses here without merit. “It's a tough introduction for her, but it would have been tough going to Ireland first time out too and I wanted to keep her against her own age group,” her trainer commented. “She seems really well and she's very straightforward to train day-to-day, although she has a fairly prickly personality and appreciates her own space. She's very tough and hardy, as she showed when losing only 10 kilos on that long trip to Keeneland and back, via Chicago.”

In the G2 Queen's Vase over the St Leger mile and three quarters, Aidan O'Brien is looking to equal the record eight successes of the late Sir Henry Cecil and saddles a Galileo (Ire) trio in Wordsworth (Ire), Arturo Toscanini (Ire) and Kyprios (Ire). The former is the pick of Ryan Moore stepping up from the 13-furlong trip over which he finished runner-up to stablemate Sir Lucan (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) in the Listed Yeats S. at Navan May 15. Arturo Toscanini was runner-up in the G3 Gallinule S. over 10 furlongs at The Curragh May 23 and it is interesting that he is tried over this far. From John and Thady Gosden's stable is Nat Rothschild's Stowell (GB) (Zoffany {Ire}), who scored over a mile and a half in a maiden here May 7, while Kingsley Park's Dancing King (Ire) (Free Eagle {Ire}) has won all four 3-year-old starts culminating in a Doncaster handicap over this trip June 5.

Ryan Moore said of Wordsworth, “He was second to High Definition in his sole start at two and I was impressed with him when he beat a subsequent winner in his maiden over a mile and a quarter at the Curragh in April, a race in which he was strong at the finish and shaped like a stayer. He couldn't follow up when stepped up to a mile five at Navan next time but the winner, stablemate Sir Lucan, is a very promising horse in his own right and I can definitely see Wordsworth being suited by this test. His brother Kew Gardens won this race back in 2018.”

After the confirmation of the prowess of Palace Pier (GB) (Kingman {GB}) in Tuesday's G1 Queen Anne S., Lady Bowthorpe (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) who was the only rival to give him a race in the G1 Lockinge S. sets the standard in the G2 Duke of Cambridge S. 24 hours later. Beaten just 1 1/2 lengths by the Gosdens' leading light in that May 15 Newbury feature, she drops a level back among her own sex renewing rivalry with Queen Power (Ire) (Shamardal) who she edged out in the nine-furlong G2 Dahlia S. at Newmarket May 2. “We've been very pleased with her since the Lockinge, that was a career-best,” Lady Bowthorpe's trainer William Jarvis said. “You never know until you turn up how much that race has taken out of her, but she appears to be giving us the right signals at home. No race at Royal Ascot is ever easy to win, we're going to be the favourite and we justify favouritism on her performance in the Lockinge, but it's a strong field. The ground is possibly going to be quicker than is ideal for us, but we're very hopeful and we're very much looking forward to it. There are some pretty good fillies in the line-up and we respect all of them.” Queen Power has subsequently won York's G2 Middleton S. over an extended 10-furlong trip by eight lengths at York May 13 and represents the Sir Michael Stoute stable successful in this on four occasions.

Both Lady Bowthorpe and Queen Power carry three-pound penalties for their Group 2 successes, while Teruya Yoshida's Champers Elysees (Ire) (Elzaam {Aus}) has the full five-pound extra having annexed the G1 Matron S. at Leopardstown in September. Easily forgiven her two efforts so far this term when fourth in both the seven-furlong G3 Athasi S. at The Curragh May 3 and in the G2 Lanwades Stud S. over this mile there May 22, the Johnny Murtagh flagbearer has quicker ground to suit and has yet to convince that she has lost any of her 2020 form. Ecurie Ama Zingteam's impressive June 5 G3 Princess Elizabeth S. scorer Parent's Prayer (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) is also in the mix along with Salah Fustok's progressive Double Or Bubble (Ire) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}), who needs to step up from her latest win in a seven-furlong Newmarket handicap Apr. 13 but who hails from the Chris Wall stable always to be respected.

Racing gets underway with the G2 Queen Mary S., where Stonestreet Stables' 'TDN Rising Star' Twilight Gleaming (Ire) (National Defense {GB}) represents the Wesley Ward influx after her 7 1/2-length win in a Belmont Park maiden special weight May 9. Adding spice is the George Arnold-trained May 21 Churchill Downs maiden special weight scorer Artos (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) with Frankie Dettori in the saddle. Currently first and second in the betting, the Stateside visitors will have to see off the sharpest of the European fillies headed by St Albans Bloodstock's May 14 Listed Marygate Fillies' S. winner Nymphadora (GB) (No Nay Never) and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners' May 16 G3 Coolmore Stud Irish EBF Fillies Sprint S. runner-up Quick Suzy (Ire) (Profitable {Ire}).

Ballydoyle's 'TDN Rising Star' Yet (War Front) beat the Donnacha-trained Orinoco River (War Front) by a neck in a Dundalk maiden over this trip May 12 and is a fascinating contender, while there is a buzz surrounding Clipper Logistics' June 4 Catterick novice scorer Illustrating (GB) (Showcasing {GB}). Ryan Moore said of Yet, “Her pedigree tells you she will get a fair bit further than this, but she clearly didn't lack pace to win over five furlongs at Dundalk and she showed a very willing attitude there. Being a War Front, you'd expect her to like this ground, too.”

Oisin Murphy took Tuesday's G2 Coventry S. and has a live chance of doubling up in the Queen Mary on the unbeaten Desert Dreamer (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) from the Stuart Williams yard. Successful over five and six furlongs at Newmarket Apr. 14 and May 13, she has an engine that will take her far. “The Queen Mary will be a tough race to win, with 22 going to post including Twilight Gleaming for Wesley Ward from stall 20, while Aidan O'Brien runs Yet,” Murphy said. “Artos is another American drawn in two, so the Stateside runners are wide apart and I'm drawn towards the far side in seven. I'm quite pleased about that as Desert Dreamer has loads of speed, she's going to jump and track them. I rode her in work recently and she's in great shape. I thought she did well to win at Newmarket on her second start under a penalty, she was impressive that day. This is a big step up, but she's quick.”

A total of 30 runners take part in the Royal Hunt Cup over a mile, which is followed by the Listed Windsor Castle S. where the key Ward runner is Stonestreet Stables' 'TDN Rising Star' Ruthin (GB) (Ribchester {Ire}). She beat the Queen Mary-bound Artos (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) by six lengths in a 5 1/2-furlong maiden special weight at Keeneland Apr. 22 and has the edge over her stable's Golden Bell (Macho Uno). Hat Creek Racing and Cheyenne Stable's bay registered her own wide-margin win over 4 1/2 furlongs at that venue on the same card, she commands respect taking on the colts including Ballydoyle's May 19 Cork maiden winner Amalfi Coast (Ire) (Showcasing {GB}) and Lit Lung Lee's impressive Newmarket and Chelmsford winner Dig Two (Ire) (Cotai Glory {GB}).

Tactical (GB) (Toronado {Ire}) won the Windsor Castle for The Queen 12 months ago and she has another contender this time in the Michael Bell-trained Spring Is Sprung (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), a half-brother to the smart King's Lynn (GB) (Cable Bay {Ire}) who scored over this five-furlong trip at Windsor Apr. 26. Oisin Murphy rides and said, “I'm drawn in nine quite close to Ruthin, the Wesley Ward filly, so hopefully I get a tow off her. My colt is improving no end. He carries loads of condition and I think he'll run a big race.” The card closes with the Kensington Palace S. over a mile for older fillies and mares, where the feared combination of Cheveley Park Stud and Sir Michael Stoute are represented by the progressive Lights On (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) who beat the re-opposing Dreamloper (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) by a short head in a course-and-distance handicap May 8. “We have a well-related and improving filly on our hands and one that is proven on the track and on the ground,” Lights On's jockey Ryan Moore said. “She is a filly we liked last season and she is really coming good now.”

Click here for the group fields.

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Campaigned by Stonestreet Stables, the Wesley Ward-trained filly broke her maiden at Gulfstream Park May 31 before taking the G2 Queen Mary S. during the Royal meeting at Ascot June 20. In her latest start at Deauville Aug. 23, she gave her trainer his third victory in the G1 Darley Prix Morny.

“We took her out of the Cheveley Park,” confirmed Ward. “I just felt I’d like to keep her under my thumb a little bit before going to the Breeders’ Cup. I think this filly could be something really special and I don’t want to ship her over and back again before the Breeders’ Cup. By keeping her [in America], we have a good couple of months to make sure she’s at her very best.”

In regards to her juvenile campaign thus far, Ward added, “She’s done everything we’ve asked of her–she’s three for three. We were struggling to find a turf maiden for her, eventually we did at Gulfstream and it was only 20 days between that race and the Queen Mary. With the shipping as well, I would never usually run them back that quick, so for her to go and win at Royal Ascot showed she’s a super good filly. And then she won much more impressively at Deauville after a good spacing since Ascot.

Also targeting Breeders’ Cup day for Ward is Ranlo Investments LLC’s Golden Pal (Uncle Mo), a narrow second in the June 19 G2 Norfolk S. at Royal Ascot. Originally targeting the G1 Nunthorpe at York, the colt’s connections opted to keep him in the U.S., where he won Saratoga’s Skidmore S. Aug. 21. The GI Juvenile Turf Sprint is his Breeders’ Cup target.

“It was a shame we couldn’t come over for York, but he’s a super quick horse, as he showed in his last race at Saratoga,” Ward said. “The Breeders’ Cup race for him is over five and a half [furlongs]. He’d prefer five as he has so much speed, but it’s his home track and I still think he’s going to be tough.”

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That’s what Stonestreet Stables’ Barbara Banke heard throughout the Royal Ascot Meeting as she prepared to watch her juvenile filly Campanelle (Kodiac {GB}) make her second lifetime start in the G2 Queen Mary S. on the final day of the meet.

“All during the week I kept hearing that nobody was winning from the one post position, and that we probably couldn’t either,” Banke said.

So from California, the top American commercial breeder set her alarm for before the crack of dawn to watch the filly go off as the second choice favorite at 9-2 and then, under Frankie Dettori, fight past her rivals and sail to victory.

“Lo and behold, she managed to make a really strong run for it,” Banke said. “I think if she had been in a better post position, she probably would have won with even more lengths of separation.”

These connections aren’t new to the Ascot winner’s circle. Stonestreet Stables, in partnership with Peter Leidel, and with American trainer Wesley Ward and Frankie Detorri, claimed the same race four years ago when ‘TDN Rising Star’ Lady Aurelia (Scat Daddy) gave a breathtaking performance and took the five-furlong race by seven lengths.

“That was so unexpected and so spectacular,” Banke recalled of Lady Aurelia’s Queen Mary S. “I’ve never seen any horse win a long sprint like that. We knew that she was super fast and she had some great competition that day, but I’ve never seen anything like that win. They called her a flying machine, and I think that’s about right.”

Since that memorable day for Stonestreet Stables, the organization has been on the lookout for another filly that could give them a repeat victory in the prestigious race. They found such a horse last October in the first book of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, when Ben McElroy purchased Campanelle for 190,000gns.

“Ben McElroy was over at the Tattersalls sale,” Banke said. “He told me, ‘There’s one horse that we just absolutely have to buy, because she could be your Queen Mary winner.’ So I said ‘Well, we have to do that then.’ And she was perfectly well-balanced, and was well-bred.”

Bred by Tally-Ho Stud, Campanelle is the last known foal out of Janina (GB) {Namid {GB}), who won the Listed Marygate S. and is a daughter of G3 Dubai International Airport World Trophy winner Lady Dominatrix (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}).

After her purchase, the yearling filly caught a flight to Ocala, Florida to begin her initial training at the Stonestreet Training Center.

From there, she was moved to the barn of juvenile specialist Wesley Ward in February.

“Ben McElroy did such a great job picking out such a talented filly,” Ward said. “It made my job easy. All I had to do was keep her on a weekly schedule, and she did the rest. Every work was better than the next. All the competition I put her with, she was easily better than, which instilled confidence in her.”

As the filly progressed, Banke received continual notes that the filly showed promise.

“Wesley was fairly effusive about her. Of course sometimes he’s effusive about everything,” Banke quipped. “But he said that she was really doing well and we were going to try to get her to Ascot. This year was so tough with the Coronavirus and having to get a race into these two-year-olds before you ship them over.”

They found a spot for the filly to make her first start on the last day of May at Gulfstream Park. She was the first to take the lead in the five furlong maiden race and never looked back, beating the rest of the field by over three lengths.

From there, the wheels were put in motion for a trip overseas for the Ascot meet.

“We only had three weeks or less until the race,” Ward said. “Shipping from Miami to England was a little bit of a concern, going from a tropical climate over to a nice, cool one in London. But she took to it, and thrived. She broke out of the gate with Frankie Detorri and went straight to the winner’s circle.”

Banke said that they had always felt like Campanelle had the potential to be a top-class turf sprinter.

“She has a lot of that strength in the hind end that you need for getting up that hill at the end,” she said. “And we had experience with Lady Aurelia, so we knew that she was that kind of filly.”

Of course, keeping the same world-class trainer and jockey duo can only work in your favor when attempting to pull off a repeat victory.

“Wesley has been good friends with Frankie for a long time,” Banke said. “Frankie was the assistant trainer for Lady Aurelia one summer when we wanted to leave her over there and not bring her back and forth. So we knew Campanelle was in good hands. Wesley just says, ‘You know what to do,’ and of course he does. So it worked out very well.”

Since her break-out achievement at Ascot, Campanelle has returned to the States and is back at Keeneland, Ward’s home base in Lexington.

“She looks like she hasn’t even ran,” Ward said. “Some of these good horses, they can take everything in stride. So hopefully she progresses to keep doing great things for us. The way it looks right now, she’s going to.”

What’s the next step for this promising two-year-old?

Just consult the instructional provided from Lady Aurelia.

“We won the G1 Prix Morny in Deauville with Lady Aurelia,” Ward said. “It’s a six furlong race, and Lady Aurelia was more of a five furlong horse. She was just so good at the time, that she stayed the extra furlong. But Campanelle looks like she’s going to appreciate the added distance.”

Ward said he is hoping that by the time the calendar turns to August, he might be able to make the trip along with the filly.

“I look forward to getting to fly back over to Paris with her and hanging out on the beach for a couple days,” he said. “Hopefully, she can do the same thing as she did in her first two starts. From everything I’ve seen and the ability she’s shown, her figures show that she’s going to be pretty tough to beat.”

Banke is starting to sketch out long-term goals for the star filly.

“Maybe a Cartier Award would be nice,” she said. “We can see what happens after the Prix Morny, if we want to go to the Breeders’ Cup with her. There’s plenty of good turf racing [in the U.S.], so we’ll target a few of those races.”

In the future, Banke said there are several international races that she hopes Stonestreet can claim some day.

“I would love to win group ones in longer races in England and Ireland,” she said. “We have a few horses picked out that are in training right now and could possibly do that. And then, I’d love to win a group one in Australia as well.”

Banke also said that the goal is to continue increasing international exposure for Stonestreet’s red and gold silks both as a business tactic and to better the farm’s bloodlines.

“I think this is an increasingly global business, especially in bloodstock,” Banke said. “We have a wonderful broodmare band here, and we like to get outside influence. Australian, New Zealand, German, South African, or in the case of Campanelle, Irish. We also really enjoy racing in Europe and Australia. The turf sprint, I think, is increasingly a very global race, and we can go a lot of places to have that kind of racing experience.”

As for Stonestreet’s most memorable turf sprinter to date, and the first American-trained horse to win a Cartier Award, Lady Aurelia now resides at Stonestreet Farm in Lexington, and is just beginning her career as a broodmare.

“She’s relaxing. She’s doing well, thriving,” Banke reported. “She’s in foal to Curlin (Smart Strike) and is expecting a colt, that’ll be very exciting. I hope to see her later today,” she added with a smile.

If Campanelle can continue to follow the path paved by her Stonestreet predecessor, there will be much to look forward to in watching the career of the Irish-turned-American Ascot winner.

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He said, “The Prix Morny is where we’re headed [with Campanelle]. She’ll come home now and have a couple of gallops on the beautiful grass here in Keeneland, and hopefully then she’ll be ready to ship to Deauville. It’s actually a good trip for a horse, because you can fly direct from Chicago to Paris. I’m certainly hoping I’ll be able to go, too.”

Another Ward runner, Golden Pal (Uncle Mo), the G2 Norfolk S. runner-up, will be trained with an eye to the G1 Nunthorpe S. versus elders in August. Ward has sent out two bridesmaids in the sprint feature–Acapulco (Scat Daddy) and Lady Aurelia (Scat Daddy).

“I’ve spoken to the owners, and we’re going to aim for the Nunthorpe,” said Ward, who has a high-profile jockey booking in mind. “I’ve been second in the race twice, and it would be great to win it. Irad Ortiz, Jr. travelled over to ride Acapulco when she ran in it as a 2-year-old–because obviously the 2-year-olds carry a light weight. I would hope by the time York comes around, he’ll be able to travel over to ride Golden Pal–that’s the idea.”

G1 Commonwealth Cup S. second place finisher and ‘TDN Rising Star’ Kimari (Munnings), who was also runner-up in the 2019 Queen Mary, will not return to European shores and will instead be prepared with a Breeders’ Cup bid in mind.

“Kimari missed the break, and when you’re running at Royal Ascot that’s a severe disadvantage,” he added. “That’s her done in Europe this year. The Breeders’ Cup is in Keeneland this year–my local track–and we’ll work back from that. I might run her on the dirt at Del Mar and then aim to take on the boys on the dirt at the Breeders’ Cup.”

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