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Golden Pal Utterly Dominant in Shakertown

Wesley Ward has trained his fair share of fast horses in his career, but where it comes to Golden Pal (Uncle Mo), “this is the fastest of the fast.” That is some compliment, and few would quibble with him after watching the two-time Breeders' Cup winner treat nine fellow turf sprinters to a spectacular front-running tour-de-force in Saturday's GII Shakertown S. at Keeneland.

Sent off the prohibitive 3-5 chalk in his seasonal debut, Golden Pal–who overcame the 13 hole in a field of 14 to win the 2020 GII Juvenile Turf Sprint over this course and distance–blasted away from gate 10 and established a clear lead within a matter of yards. Allowed to make the running while racing in about the two path, he covered his opening quarter in a sensational :20.94 and maintained a daylight advantage on his rivals on the turn over a turf course that had taken better than three inches of rain over the course of the week. Still just galloping along off the fence turning for home, he got the half-mile in an other-worldly :43.58 and was never in any sort of danger. Johnny Unleashed (Colonel John) was second at 70-1, while Gear Jockey (Twirling Candy) rounded out the triple.

“He's just blessed with speed and agility,” Ward continued. “He moves like a cat; he's so quick. For a big, sturdy horse like he is–he's just a once-in-a-lifetime horse.”

Narrowly runner-up to The Lir Jet (Ire) (Prince of Lir {Ire}) as a maiden in the 2020 G2 Norfolk S. at Royal Ascot, Golden Pal bested Cowan (Kantharos) in that year's Juvenile Turf Sprint, but was forced to miss a return trip to the Royal Meeting, making Saratoga's GIII Quick Call S. his first win at the graded level last July. Owner/breeder Randall Lowe sold the colt to the Coolmore partners and Westerberg, but he was a disappointing seventh in the G1 Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe S. in August before bouncing back in Keeneland's GII Woodford S. in October. Golden Pal ran them off the feet in the GI Turf Sprint in his most recent appearance Nov. 6, and Ward indicated that the G1 King's Stand S. at Royal Ascot June 14 over a stiff five furlongs is next on the dance card.

Pedigree Notes:

Golden Pal is the first foal to the races for his dam, a Grade III winner and 10-times stakes winner overall, who also has a runner-up effort in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint to her record. Lady Shipman is a full-sister to Just Talkin, herself multiple stakes-placed in turf sprints, and whose first foal, an American Pharoah colt named Talkin Pharoah, was signed for by Ward for $260,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale. The colt breezed three furlongs at Turfway Park in :35.40 Apr. 7. Lady Shipman is also the dam of the yearling colt Lieutenant General (Omaha Beach) and is due to Uncle Mo this season.

Saturday, Keeneland
SHAKERTOWN S.-GII, $317,657, Keeneland, 4-9, 3yo/up, 5 1/2fT, 1:02.21, gd.
1–GOLDEN PAL, 126, c, 4, by Uncle Mo
                1st Dam: Lady Shipman (GSW-Can, MSW & GISP-USA, $902,387), by Midshipman
                2nd Dam: Sumthingtotalkabt, by Mutakddim
                3rd Dam: Nannetta, by Falstaff
($325,000 RNA Ylg '19 KEESEP). O-Magnier, Mrs. John, Tabor, Michael B., Smith, Derrick and Westerberg; B-Randall E Lowe (FL); T-Wesley A. Ward; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr.. $174,375. Lifetime Record: 9-6-2-0, $1,473,431. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Johnny Unleashed, 122, g, 5, Colonel John–Ready to Unleash, by More Than Ready. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($10,000 Ylg'18 KEESEP). O-Foster Family Racing, Reynolds, Lonnie, H & H Horses, LLC and Mills, Joseph; B-St. Simon Place, Scott Stephens & Betsy T Wells (KY); T-Eric N. Foster. $65,625.
3–Gear Jockey, 124, h, 5, Twirling Candy–Switching Gears, by Tapit. O/B-Calumet Farm (KY); T-George R. Arnold, II. $32,813.
Margins: 4 3/4, 3/4, NK. Odds: 0.60, 70.20, 9.80.
Also Ran: Diamond Oops, The Lir Jet (Ire), Just Might, Barraza, Natural Power (Ire), Chess Master, Filo Di Arianna (Brz). Scratched: Cowan.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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More Than Ready Colt All The Way in New Zealand Trophy

Given a perfectly rationed ride from the front by the evergreen Yutaka Take, Jean Gros (More Than Ready) became the first winner at group level in Japan for his legendary sire in Saturday's $841,637 G2 New Zealand Trophy at Nakayama, a steppingstone to next month's G1 NHK Mile Cup at Tokyo Racecourse.

The 6-1 third favourite off a stalk-and-pounce success in listed company over 1200 metres Feb. 27, the full-brother to MGSW & GISP Tom's Ready was kicked straight into the lead from gate six and led through reasonable fractions of :23.5 for the opening quarter-mile and :46.8 for the first 800 metres. Going comfortably on the single right-handed turn, Jean Gros turned for home after six furlongs in 1:10.5 and finished strongly to cross the line a head better than favoured Matenro Orion (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}). The latter, drawn gate one, was maneuvered to the outside past halfway and was forced to take the overland route on the bend. He kicked hard in the stretch, but could not quite overhaul the leader in the dying strides. Lubeck (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}), a full-brother to the globetrotting Deirdre (Jpn), was third. Take was riding his first winner of the race since landing the 2004 renewal–also for trainer Hideyuki Mori–atop fellow American-bred Seeking the Dia (Storm Cat). The 2021 winner was Bathrat Leon (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}), upset winner of the G2 Godolphin Mile Mar. 26.

Pedigree Notes:

Jean Gros is the 98th worldwide graded/group winner for WinStar's More Than Ready, still going strong at the age of 25.

Blackstone Farm acquired Goodbye Stranger carrying the foal that would become Tom's Ready for $40,000 at Keeneland January in 2013 and also bred the stakes-placed Wrong Color (Gemologist) from the mare before selling her to Nursery Place for $120,000 with Jean Gros in utero at KEEJAN in 2019.

Entered for but withdrawn from the Keeneland November Sale eight months after his foaling date of Mar. 2, Jean Gros was bought back by John Mayer's operation on a bid of $130,000 at Keeneland September the following fall. Turned over to consignor Al Pike, the bay was knocked down to Mori for $265,000 at last year's OBS March Sale after breezing an eighth of a mile in :10 flat.

Mori, whose success with traveling American-bred gallopers is well-documented, signed for eight horses for over $2.2 million at OBS last March, including the $750,000 topper now named Clos de Mesnil (Practical Joke). She is a maiden winner from four starts to date. Six of the eight have won at least one race.

Barren to Arrogate for 2020, Goodbye Stranger is the dam of a yearling filly by Audible and is due to Horse of the Year Authentic this season.

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Best of the West To Be Decided in Santa Anita Derby

Barring something unforeseen, they are both headed to Louisville in a month's time, but Saturday's GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby will make either Messier (Empire Maker) or Forbidden Kingdom (American Pharoah) the left coast's best chance at GI Kentucky Derby glory when they go head-to-head for the second time Saturday afternoon.

Named a 'TDN Rising Star' when graduating by a space at second asking over a six-furlong trip that was always bound to be sharp, Messier easily handled Forbidden Kingdom in Del Mar's GIII Bob Hope S. over seven furlongs in November, but was upset by Slow Down Andy (Nyquist) in the GII Los Alamitos Futurity Dec. 11. In his lone start since, the $470,000 Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearling Showcase purchase romped by 15 in the GIII Robert B. Lewis S. Feb. 6, and with a switch to the barn of Tim Yakteen, would likely secure a Derby berth with a win or runner-up effort.

For his part, Forbidden Kingdom has already earned his way into the race, as he is perfect in two starts at three. The chestnut son of the good sprinter Just Louise (Five Star Day) caused something of an upset when beating subsequent G3 Saudi Derby hero Pinehurst (Twirling Candy) by 2 1/4 lengths in the seven-furlong GII San Vicente S. and proved he could stay a distance of ground when thrashing his six opponents by 5 3/4 lengths in the GII San Felipe S. Mar. 5.

If someone is to crash the party, 'TDN Rising Star' Taiba (Gun Runner) would appear to be the likeliest candidate. A $140,000 Fasig-Tipton October yearling turned $1.7-million Fasig-Tipton Florida breezer, the chestnut graduated by 7 1/2 lengths on his Mar. 5 debut for Bob Baffert, earning a 103 Beyer Speed Figure that equals Messier's Lewis victory. Yakteen is also the trainer of record for Taiba and Amr Zedan's Zedan Racing Stables.

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Kevin McKathan To Give Training A Try

Kevin McKathan has many talents. One of the principals behind McKathan Bros. Training Center in Ocala, he's helped start the career of many a good horse, including 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile), and he's also a major force as a consignor at the 2-year-old sales. But he's ready for something different. Thirty-three years after starting his last horse, McKathan will return to the training ranks when he sends out long shot Fenwick (Curlin) in Saturday's GI Toyota Blue Grass S. at Keeneland.

“I am very excited,” he said. “My brother (J.B., who passed away in 2019) and I used to train horses at the racetrack years ago and the reason we started doing what we've been doing is because we weren't training good horses. I've always said that bad horses make bad horse trainers. Whenever you can touch a good one, it's fantastic.”

McKathan started his last horse in 1989 and shortly thereafter started up his new business in Ocala. There wasn't time for much else.

“For years and years, I've always had 150 horses at the house,” he said. “It's not like I could just head out and run around at the races.”

McKathan bought Fenwick for $52,000 at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Fall yearling sale for owner Jeremiah Rudan. The original plan was to sell him as a 2-year-old at theFasig-Tipton Gulfstream sale, but he was withdrawn. Rudan decided to race him and sent the colt on to trainer Steve Asmussen. McKathan had high expectations for Fenwick, but he lost his first four starts. Things hit bottom when he was beaten by 24 3/4 lengths in a Feb. 13 maiden special weight race at the Fair Grounds. The decision was then made to send him back to McKathan in Ocala and to more or less start over.

“In his first race, he ran a huge seven-eighths and just got beat,” McKathan said. “By Curlin, we had high hopes for him. He looked like a two-turn horse, but after his first start, he had such bad racing luck every time he started. Jeremiah got a little disappointed and had us bring him home to Ocala. We went over him and he was in perfect condition. We put him out in a field for a couple of days to get some sun on his back.”

Fenwick was turned over to trainer David Fisher and sent to Tampa Bay Downs, where he broke his maiden by 5 1/4 lengths on March 12, beating the 1-20 favorite Commandperformance (Union Rags), who was second in the GI Champagne S. for trainer Todd Pletcher. Commandperformance, still a maiden, is back in the Blue Grass.

“He ran a huge race at Tampa,” McKathan said. “He finally got things his way and finally ran the way Steve and I always expected he could. I joked with Jeremiah before the race. How could we be so unlucky to run into a horse who was second in a Grade I in a maiden race at Tampa? But our horse ran great. For the Blue Grass, we were planning on moving him to someone. Jeremiah said that since I was taking the horse up to Keeneland why not just put myself down as the trainer of record? He talked me into it.”

Rudan planted a seed and McKathan has become interested in seeing where the training business can take him.

“I believe I can combine everything,” he said. “I have a great staff. If you think about it, we travel somewhere every month, whether it's for a horse sale or for a horse race. It's not undoable. It's just a matter of working things out.”

Fenwick is the only horse that McKathan has as a trainer. For now, that's good enough.

“This is definitely something I think I will be able to do,” he said of training. “I will enjoy this one, take a shot at them in the Blue Grass and if we make the Derby, I'll be there for it. I don't think this is a one-shot deal so far as my training. We've all been horse trainers our whole lives. It's just how you plan on going about it.”

McKathan won just seven races in his first go-round as a trainer and his stable earnings were just $30,461. That's what can happen when you train slow horses at tracks like River Downs, Beulah Park and Birmingham. All these years later he has a starter in the $1-million Blue Grass.

“I am expecting big things from this horse,” he said. “It's exciting and it's fun.”

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