Golden Pal Leads Ward Ascot Workers

Wesley Ward worked five of his Royal Ascot contenders over the Keeneland turf Friday led by GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint winner Golden Pal (Uncle Mo). He covered five panels in a bullet 1:02.80 (1/8) (video). Winner of the GII Shakertown S. last out Apr. 9, the bay is being pointed at the G1 King's Stand S. at the Royal meeting June 14.

“I thought he had an unbelievable breeze today,” Ward said. “The turf was soggy, and I love to breeze on a deep, soft turf. They come in and out of the works so good. He broke off 10 lengths in front of a 2-year-old filly, ['TDN Rising Star'] Love Reigns (Ire) (U S Navy Flag)–she's no match for a horse like him at this stage of her career–but she had a target. She had a great work (1:03.60) following the fastest horse in the world. He skipped over it–it was unbelievable. That's what you want to see.”

Love Reigns, owned by Stonestreet Stables, scored a 9 3/4-length victory at Keeneland in her Apr. 29 career debut sprinting on turf. She is scheduled to race in the G2 Queen Mary S. June 15.

Stonestreet also owns G1 Platinum Jubilee S.-bound Campanelle (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) (1:04) and Palace of Holyroodhouse S. contender Ruthin (GB) (Ribchester {Ire}) (1:04.80) (video). Campanelle is bidding for her third win at Royal Ascot, following triumphs in the Queen Mary in 2020 and G1 Commonwealth Cup in 2021.

Ward's other Royal Ascot worker was Andrew Farm and For the People Racing Stable's No Nay Hudson (Ire) (No Nay Never) (1:06.40), who is headed to the Windsor Castle June 15. No Nay Hudson won his career debut at Keeneland Apr. 28 on the dirt.

On June 8, they have a direct flight from Indianapolis to London Stansted Airport, “and they land and have a 10-minute ride to Chelmsford Racecourse, where they'll stay for three days until they go to Ascot,” Ward said.

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Ribchester’s Ruthin Prevails in the Limestone

Ruthin (GB) (Ribchester {Ire}) led home a 'TDN Rising Star' 1-3 finish in Friday's co-featured TVG Limestone S. at Keeneland, as she turned away a bid from her pace-pressing and favored stablemate, fellow 'Rising Star' Her World (Ire) (Caravaggio) and held off a late dive from Derrynane (Quality Road) for a narrow victory.

So quickly into stride that jockey John Velazquez reported post-race that he surged back in the irons, Ruthin, a six-length graduate in a course-and-distance maiden 51 weeks ago to become the first winner for her sire, cut out the running, but was kept in about the four path through an opening couple of furlongs in :22.59. Fractionally closer to the fence as they raced around the turn, Ruthin held the advantage, but there was plenty of room at the inside for stablemate Her World–herself a debut victress against the boys in the Tyro S. at Monmouth last August–if good enough when push came to shove. Try as she might, the gray filly just could not bridge the gap and the wire came in the nick of time for Ruthin. Derrynane, a late-running fourth to Stonestreet's Twilight Gleaming (Ire) (National Defense {GB}) in last year's GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint, switched off at the back, was produced in upper stretch and attacked the line hard to just miss.

Seventh of 27 as the 3-1 favorite in last year's Listed Windsor Castle S. at Royal Ascot, Ruthin could return to that meeting, pending a dinner discussion with Barbara Banke, trainer Wesley Ward said.

The second stakes scorer for her G1 Prix Jacques le Marois and G1 Queen Anne-winning sire (by Iffraaj {GB}), Ruthin was the most expensive of the Darley stallion's first-crop yearlings when hammering to Ben McElroy on behalf of Stonestreet for 350,000gns at Tattersalls October in 2020. The dual stakes-winning Selinka is also the dam of a yearling colt by G2 Richmond S. hero Land Force (Ire) (No Nay Never).

TVG LIMESTONE S., $155,100, Keeneland, 4-15, 3yo, f, 5 1/2fT, 1:03.33, gd.
1–RUTHIN (GB), 118, f, 3, by Ribchester (Ire)
1st Dam: Selinka (GB) (MSW-Eng, $119,968), by Selkirk
2nd Dam: Lady Links (GB), by Bahamian Bounty (GB)
3rd Dam: Sparky's Song (GB), by Electric (GB)
'TDN Rising Star' 1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. (350,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-Stonestreet Stables LLC; B-Highclere Stud & Jake Warren Ltd (GB); T-Wesley A Ward; J-John R Velazquez. $89,513. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-0, $111,233. *1/2 to Hit The Bid (GB) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}), MGSW-Ire, GSP-UAE, GSP-Eng, $410,031.
2–Derrynane, 120, f, 3, Quality Road–Portmagee, by Hard Spun. O/B-Waterville Lake Stables (NY); T-Christophe Clement. $28,875.
3–Her World (Ire), 120, f, 3, Caravaggio–Mundus Novus, by Unbridled's Song. ($400,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP; $425,000 3yo '22 KEEJAN). 'TDN Rising Star' O-Andrew Farm, For the People Racing Stable LLC & Windmill Manor Farm; B-Lynch Bages Ltd & Rhinestone B/Stock (IRE); T-Wesley A Ward. $14,437.
Margins: NK, 3/4, NK. Odds: 8.10, 2.50, 1.10.
Also Ran: Lost My Sock, Unbridled Mary, Gun Boat, Sin City Gal, Thunder Love (GB). Scratched: Fast Corey, Kaufymaker. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Ward Relishing Royal Ascot Return

NEWMARKET, UK–Since 2009, Wesley Ward has made Royal Ascot an annual pilgrimage, both for his horses and his family. The enduring and endearing repetition of that first visit is the presence of the now 14-year-old Strike The Tiger (Tiger Ridge), Ward's first of 11 Royal Ascot winners, who is now a much valued stable pony and has accompanied his team to Newmarket.

The trainer was in his customary relaxed mood on Wednesday morning at Newmarket's National Stud, where his team has been based on his visits to England over the last few years. Among the nine horses heading to the Berkshire track next week is another returning star, Campanelle (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), the winner of last year's G2 Queen Mary S. at Ascot who went on to win the G1 Darley Prix Morny in Deauville for Barbara Banke's Stonestreet Stables. 

An intended runner in Friday's G1 Commonwealth Cup, in which she will be reunited with Frankie Dettori, Campanelle is one of two older horses in the raiding party along with Richard Ravin's Maven (American Pharoah). The lightly-raced 4-year-old will tackle the G1 King's Stand S. on the opening day of the meeting. 

“When Maven ran in an allowance race at Keeneland in April, we felt he was a bit short fitness-wise,” Ward said on Wednesday morning. “On the day he bounced out in front and when they came to him, I thought he was going to surrender, but he just took off again. I was delighted and then once I saw the numbers, it inspired me to put him on the team for Royal Ascot. He will have to move forward from that again to be in the mix for the King's Stand Stakes, but I think he is entitled to do so.”

Maven is one of two American raiders on course for the King's Stand. The 8-year-old G1 Al Quoz Sprint winner Extravagant Kid (Kiss The Kid), who will be ridden by Ryan Moore, arrived in Newmarket on Tuesday evening and is stabled across town at Abington Place. His trainer Brendan Walsh is very familiar with British racing's headquarters, having worked in Newmarket for several years for Mark Wallace.

The remaining Ward septet are all juveniles and it is in this sphere which the trainer notoriously excels. He appears to have a real soft spot for the statuesque Kaufymaker (Jimmy Creed), a homebred for Gregory Kaufman who was raised on Ward's own farm in Florida. Unusually, the chestnut filly will be taking on the colts in the G2 Coventry S. on Tuesday.  

Ward said, “She won on the dirt at Keeneland and then when we worked her on the grass, she took to it like a duck to water. Of all the workers I have had on the grass coming into the meeting, she has risen to the top. That is why I am giving her the biggest assignment. The Coventry Stakes is a race I have been dying to have a real big chance in and I think she is going to give me it. She is the best I have and that is why I am putting her in here.”

He continued, “She has a big, long stride and I think it is a bit of an advantage at this time of the year to have a filly against the colts. If you look at all the times of the races over the years, especially in the States, the fillies are always faster. The same applies to the breeze-ups for the most part. It is like boys and girls in school—for whatever reason girls mature that little bit faster.”

Having tasted significant success last year, Stonestreet Stables has stuck to the formula of buying European-bred yearlings to aim at the meeting and three youngsters will bear Banke's colours at Ascot on Wednesday. Twilight Gleaming (Ire) will bid to give her first-season sire National Defense (GB) an important first Royal Ascot winner in the G2 Queen Mary S., while the filly Ruthin (GB) (Ribchester {Ire}) will take on Napa Spirit (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire})–the top-priced colt at last year's Goffs Orby Sale at £420,000–in the listed Windsor Castle S. John Velazquez is set to ride Ruthin and Dettori is booked for Napa Spirit.

“In regard to Twilight Gleaming and Ruthin, sometimes you have to readjust because of what you see from them in their workouts once they're over here.” Ward noted. “With both horses being owned by Barbara Banke of Stonestreet Stables, you have to go with what you see. To me, Twilight Gleaming might be a shade better, which is why she is going for the Queen Mary Stakes, and Ruthin will slot in for the Windsor Castle Stakes alongside Napa Spirit. We are going to use a figure-8 bridle and tongue tie on Ruthin, to help her get some more air, and I think that could make a big difference to her.”

Ruthin was exercised riderless on Wednesday morning alongside Strike The Tiger and Ollie Sangster, who gave the filly an easy jog on the Newmarket turf. Ward's preparation for her change of tack next week included having her wear the tongue tie and grakle noseband during the exercise. 

Ruthin had Artos (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) six lengths behind her when the pair met on debut at Keeneland on April 22. The latter, who will be a first Royal Ascot runner for Rusty Arnold, arrived in Newmarket on Tuesday with Extravagant Kid and she will now face Twilight Gleaming in the Queen Mary.

Ward will also be double-handed in Thursday's G2 Norfolk S., in which Lucci (Not This Time) will take on Nakatomi (Firing Line). Oisin Murphy will ride the latter, with Velazquez renewing his acquaintance with first-time-out Belmont maiden winner Lucci.

The trainer said, “At home, we have been working Lucci and Nakatomi together. Nakatomi was coming out on top, but then they had a workout in Newmarket on the Limekilns and Lucci turned the tables. He just bounced straight through to the front and would not give up the lead.”

Joining Campanelle on the lorry from Newmarket to Ascot on Friday will be the G3 Albany S. contender Golden Bell (Macho Uno), who races for a partnership which includes Hat Creek Racing, former owners of the 2017 listed Sandringham H. winner Con Te Partiro (Scat Daddy), and Cheyenne Stable. Ward would be happy to see some rain fall at the track ahead of the penultimate day of the meeting.

“Golden Bell is actually one I wouldn't mind a bit of dig in the ground for, which is not something you would usually hear me say,” he commented. “The night before she worked at Keeneland, we had quite heavy rain, and she just flew through the ground. With her and Campanelle, I might have to do a little rain dance the night before.”

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Trainer Wesley Ward ‘Getting Excited’ About Royal Ascot Contingent

Richard Ravin's Maven, a Group 3 winner in France in 2019 who captured his 2021 debut in April at Keeneland, joined a group of 2-year-olds who turned in half-mile works on the firm Keeneland turf course Friday for trainer Wesley Ward in preparation for possible trips to England to compete at Royal Ascot in June. Since 2009, when he became the first American trainer to win a race at Royal Ascot, Ward has 11 victories at the prestigious meet.

The Royal Ascot meet will be held June 15-19.

“We had some really nice works,” Ward said about today's performances. “(The Keeneland turf course) is a true grass course. It's similar to the courses in England.”

Keeneland clockers caught Maven, working in company with Madison (G1) winner Kimari, in :47.80. A 4-year-old gelding by American Pharoah, Maven is intended for the 5-furlong King's Stand (G1) on June 15 at Royal Ascot, while Kimari is being pointed to Saratoga for her next start in the July 28 Honorable Miss (G2).

Ward's juvenile turf workers all won their career debuts in April:

· Marc Detampel's Nakatomi (June 17 Norfolk-G2) was clocked in :50.40 in company with Hat Creek Racing and Cheyenne Stable's Tea Olive (:52)

· Two horses owned by Stonestreet Stable worked in company – Ruthin (GB) (June 16 Queen Mary-G2) in :48.60 and Napa Spirit (IRE) (Norfolk) in :48.80.

· Hat Creek Racing and Cheyenne Stable's Golden Bell (June 18 Albany-G3) was timed in :48.20 in company with her faster workmate, Gregory Kaufman's Kaufymaker (:47.80).

Ward said Kaufymaker earned consideration with today's work to compete at Royal Ascot.

Set to return to Royal Ascot for Ward is Stonestreet's 3-year-old filly Campanelle (IRE), who last year captured the Queen Mary before taking the Darley Prix Morny (G1) at Deauville in France. Campanelle is based at Keeneland but has been working Sundays on the turf course at Churchill Downs in a schedule based on the availability of the Keeneland course.

Ward has Campanelle scheduled to make her 2021 debut in the June 18 Commonwealth Cup (G1) at 6 furlongs against males. With a win at Royal Ascot two years in a row, Campanelle would equal the feat of Stonestreet's Lady Aurelia, who Ward trained to win the 2016 Queen Mary and 2017 King's Stand.

The trainer's other possible 2-year-old starters at Royal Ascot this year include Peter Leidel's Overbore (June 15 Coventry-G2); Andrew Farm, For the People Racing Stable and Windmill Manor Farm's Lucci (Norfolk) and Stonestreet's Twilight Gleaming (IRE) (June 16 Windsor Castle-L).

Ward said the horses would depart June 1 on a flight from Indianapolis and be based at the English National Stud. He plans to fly to England following Bound for Nowhere's start in the Jackpot Jaipur (G1) on June 5 at Belmont Park and oversee the final works by his contingent before their Royal Ascot races.

“I'm getting excited,” he said.

Another Royal Ascot hopeful stabled at Keeneland is DARRS Inc.'s Extravagant Kid, who won the $1 million Al Quoz Sprint (G1) Sponsored by Azizi Developments during the March 27 Dubai World Cup card. Trained by Brendan Walsh, Extravagant Kid is being considered for two races at the meet: the 5-furlong King's Stand (G1) on June 15 and the 6-furlong Diamond Jubilee (G1) on June 19.

Extravagant Kid has recorded half-mile breezes at Keeneland on dirt on May 4 (:50.20) and May 13 (:48.20). Walsh said he is scheduled to work again Saturday at 7:30 a.m.

“Flying out on the first or second (of June),” Walsh said via text about travel plans for Extravagant Kid. “I'm not sure if I'm going yet. Depends on the quarantine restrictions.”

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