“He's won all over in America and he's just a phenomenal rider who rides with extreme patience,” explained Ward. “He's the man of the moment here in the States, that's for sure. He's put a lot of work in for me early in the mornings and he's so excited to get over to Ascot.”

Among Ward's chief Royal Ascot aspirants, Golden Pal (Uncle Mo), winner of a pair of Breeders' Cup events sprinting over the turf the past two seasons, is slated to contest the G1 King's Stand S. June 14. In his only prior start this season, he won the 5 1/2-furlong GII Shakertown S. at Keeneland Apr. 9.

Also making the trans-Atlantic sojourn is Campanelle (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), victorious in the 2020 G2 Queen Mary S. before claiming a win in last season's G1 Commonwealth S. via the steward's room. The 4-year-old, who most recently won Keeneland's Giant's Causeway S. Apr. 16, will try to record the hat-trick in the June 18 G1 Platinum Jubilee S. Working in tandem with GI Madison S. scorer Kimari, the Stonestreet runner recorded a recent five-furlong work in 1:00.40 at Keeneland June 5.

“My work rider, Julio Garcia, has been with me for the last 16 years..He rode Campanelle, she broke behind Kimari and he tracked her all the way over five furlongs,” he said. “He eased out with a furlong to go and it almost looked like Kimari was going to keep rolling on and visually watching I was thinking 'uh oh, maybe Campanelle doesn't have it'.

He continued, “Then all of a sudden Julio moved his knuckles just a shade and within three strides Campanelle made up three lengths–she responded like a lion getting to an antelope. It was exactly what we wanted to see. The whole team had smiles on their faces after watching that, which was great to see.”

Ward will also saddle SW Ruthin (GB) (Ribchester {Ire}) (Palace of Holywoodhouse S. June 17), Love Reigns (Ire) (US Navy Flag) (Queen Mary S. June 15) and maiden Seismic Spirit (Ire) (Belardo {Ire}) (Windsor Castle S. June 15).

“[Love Reigns] had about the best debut race I've ever had at Keeneland [Apr. 29]–she won by almost 10 lengths and just scampered away from them,” said Ward of Love Reign. “She has had three or four pieces of work since then, and all of them have been nice and steady and beautiful breezes. Every horse that kind of engaged her, she just exploded away from them.”

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“I have never been as strong as this,” he said.

The surprise is that Ward's group of 2-year-olds, usually his strong suit, is not deep. He only has two, 'TDN Rising Star' Love Reigns (Ire) (US Navy Flag) and No Nay Hudson (Ire) (No Nay Never), that are definitely headed there.

“In years past at Belmont, they always ran those early maiden 2-year-old races on the turf,” he said. “They always went. If I won one of those races, I'd send those horses over there. This year, it's unfortunate that, for whatever reason, none of those races went. A lot of people are giving me turf sprinters. They're not the same horses on dirt and I'm reluctant to start them on the dirt. I've been waiting for grass races. There have only been two 2-year-old races run on grass in North America so far this year, both at Keeneland. People are buying horses for me to try to get them to Royal Ascot, but you can't go if you don't get them a start beforehand.”

Ward is hoping to find turf maidens for some of his 2-year-olds within the next 10 days or so and said that could lead to additions to his team.

Here's a look at who Ward plans on sending to Royal Ascot:

Golden Pal (Uncle Mo): Ward has said that this is the best horse he has ever trained and Golden Pal has the record to back that up. He is six-for-nine lifetime and has won the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint and the GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint. He is expected to be the favourite in the G1 King's Stand S. on Tuesday, June 14.

“This is a big one for him,” Ward said. “He was second there as a 2-year-old in the [G2] Norfolk [S.] and was unlucky to be beaten. I am going back this year and he has never been better in his life. He is my most likely winner.”

Love Reigns: The 2-year-old filly is scheduled to run in the G2 Queen Mary S. on Wednesday, June 15. She broke her maiden on Apr. 29 at Keeneland, winning a 5 1/2-furlong grass race by 9 3/4 lengths.

No Nay Hudson; The 2-year-old colt will run in the Windsor Castle S. also on June 15. He won a 4 1/2-furlong dirt maiden at Keeneland by four lengths.

Asymmetric (Ire) (Showcasing {GB}): Is a new addition to the Ward barn after being campaigned in the U.K. by trainer Alan King. The 3-year-old has not started since Sept. 25. His biggest win came in the G2 Richmond S. He will go in the June 17 G1 Commonwealth Cup.

“It took a little while to get him going and figure him out,” Ward said. “He wasn't working very well when we first started breezing him. He started doing better, but not as good as you'd expect from what his form showed. These last couple of workouts were great. Really, really good. He outworked a really good horse of mine, Outadore, and did it very nicely. I am looking for him to run a good race.”

'TDN Rising Star' Ruthin (GB) (Ribchester {Ire}): The now 3-year-old warmed up for Ascot with a win in the Apr. 15 Limestone S. at Keeneland. She is slated to take on males in the June 17 Palace of Holyroodhouse S. at five furlongs. She finished seventh last year at Ascot in the Windsor Castle S.

Her World (Ire) (Caravaggio): Another filly, she will also run in the Palace of Holyroodhouse S, but has had only two career starts, including a third-place finish in the Limestone.

Campanelle (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}): The filly will be seeking her third win at Royal Ascot when she starts in the G1 Platinum Jubilee S. on Saturday, June 18. She won the G1 Commonwealth Cup there last year and the G2 Queen Mary S. the year before. She also captured the Giant's Causeway S. at Keeneland in her Royal Ascot prep.

“She ran a big race here at Keeneland in her comeback,” Ward said. “She thrives here at Keeneland and every work has been great. I look forward to a big run from her. But this will be her toughest assignment over there yet because she'll be taking on older horses. She's a big powerful mare. She's strong and imposing. I think she will run a big race.”

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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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It was the second win in as many days with a 2-year-old European import for the team of McElroy, Stonestreet Stables LLC and trainer Wesley Ward. Thursday's first race at Keeneland was won by their filly Ruthin (GB) (Ribchester {Ire}), who was bought at the Tattersalls October Yearling sale in Great Britain. Both will soon be on their way to Ascot for what their connections hope will be a successful ending to a story that took McElroy to the major yearling sales across Europe last year.

McElroy bought five yearlings in Europe last year for Stonestreet, a list that includes Twilight Gleaming (Ire) (National Defense {GB}), who finished second in her debut Apr. 8 at Keeneland.

McElroy isn't alone. More and more U.S. stables have been buying at the European yearling sales in recent years, looking for horses that can thrive in the U.S. Stonestreet and McElroy hit with the same formula last year. Campanelle (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) was bought for 190,000 guineas at the 2019 Tattersalls October Yearling sale and went on to win two group races, the GII Queen Mary S. at Royal Ascot and the GI Darley Prix Morny.

“There is more turf racing now than ever in the U.S. and the prize money is very good,” McElroy said. “And horses stay sounder longer when they race on the grass.”

With Ruthin, McElroy stuck his neck out. Selling for 350,000 guineas (the equivalent of $474,776) she is from the first crop of sire Ribchester (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}) and was the most expensive yearling by that sire sold at auction last year.

“Ribchester was a very high-class racehorse trained by Richard Fahey,” McElroy said. “He won the (GI) Queen Anne S. at Royal Ascot and was very impressive in that race. He is son of Iffraaj, who is the sire of Wootton Basset (Iffraaj {GB}), who has turned into a sensational sire. I had a good feeling all along on Ribchester, based on the fact that he was precocious, very talented and is by Ifraaj.”

It was no surprise when Ruthin won Thursday, leading all the way in a 5 1/2-furlong maiden on the grass to win by six lengths. Sent out by Ward, who dominates the spring 2-year-old races at Keeneland, she was the 3-5 favorite.

“With the way that filly was working they had very high expectations for her,” he said. “We knew she had a lot of ability. She is a strong-willed filly. Every time we looked at her she reminded me more and more of Campanelle.”

The expectations for Napa Spirit weren't quite as high. He sold for €420,000 or the equivalent of $539,926. Sent off at 2-5, he lagged near the back of the pack early before his late rally carried him to a 1 1/2-length win.

“The colt is the bigger and stronger horse of the two and I think he needed that run,” McElroy said. “He is a very, very laid back horse, so we were relieved that he won in his first start. I was kind of nervous going in. Wesley thought he might need the race and that he will improve off the race. He's not as push button as the filly is.”

McElroy said he is a fan of Napa Spirit's sire, Invincible Spirit.

“Invincible Spirit is the sire of Kingman,” he said. “He stands for €100,000 and is a real high-end stallion. When I purchased (Napa Spirit), he was in early at that sale. For what he was physically and that he is by that sire, I'm not saying he was cheap by any stretch of the imagination, but we certainly didn't overpay for him. It's not like we were picking from the top. We were looking for horses that suit Wesley and what we thought might suit Ascot.”

One of the most prestigious race meets in the world, Royal Ascot, awaits Ruthin and Napa Spirit. Ward, by far the most successful U.S.-based trainer at Ascot, said Ruthin will go next in the Queen Mary. Napa Spirit's next start will be in the GII Coventry S.

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The rail-drawn, 3-5 favorite shot out to the front and sped through an opening quarter in :21.91. She let it out a notch approaching the top of the stretch, and, despite racing greenly on her left lead for most of the stretch, was geared down late en route to a flashy, six-length victory over Artos (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}).

The final time for 5 1/2 furlongs over the “good” going was 1:04.95.

Freshman sire Ribchester, the European champion miler in 2016 and 2017, stands at Darley's Kildangan Stud. Ruthin is his first winner and was his priciest, first-crop yearling to switch hands in 2020.

Ruthin, a daughter of two-time stakes winner in England Selinka, is a half-sister to Hit The Bid (GB) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}), MGSW-Ire, GSP-UAE, GSP-Eng, $410,031. Selinka brought 100,000gns from John and Jake Warren in foal to Showcasing (GB) at the 2015 TATDEC sale. She is also represented by a 2021 Land Force (Ire) colt. This is the extended female family of G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest winner Bold Edge (GB).

1st-Keeneland, $40,960, Msw, 4-22, 2yo, f, 5 1/2fT, 1:04.95, gd, 6 lengths.
RUTHIN (GB), f, 2, 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)
Sales history: 350,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $21,720. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree or the VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
O-Stonestreet Stables LLC; B-Highclere Stud & Jake Warren Ltd (GB); T-Wesley A. Ward.

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