A graded stakes trio, led by the GII Triple Bend S. at Santa Anita, will kick off Memorial Day weekend on Saturday afternoon.
The lightly raced 5-year-old Bruce Chandler homebred Spirit of Makena (Ghostzapper) looks for his third straight victory for trainer George Papaprodromou following a 1 1/2-length score over the re-opposing Forbidden Kingdom (American Pharoah) in the GIII San Carlos S. last time Mar. 11. Spirit of Makena is the 8-5 morning-line favorite. The field of seven also includes last year's GI Breeders' Cup Sprint runner-up and popular 9-year-old gelding C Z Rocket (City Zip), an earner of more than $2 million.
Santa Anita's nine-race program also features a field of seven turf sprinters–led by last out Siren Lure S. winner and 9-5 morning-line favorite Whatmakessammyrun (We Miss Artie)–in the GIII Daytona S.
A field of six 3-year-old fillies, meanwhile, will line up in Belmont's GIII Soaring Softly S. going seven furlongs over the widener turf course. Christophe Clement will saddle Moyglare Stud Farm homebred and 6-5 morning-line favorite Love Appeals (Speightstown), who enters off a sharp optional claiming win sprinting over the Aqueduct lawn Apr. 27.
Looking to build on his 12 victories at Royal Ascot, trainer Wesley Ward sent out several horses with intended engagements at the prestigious meeting–all campaigned by Barbara Banke's Stonestreet Stables–for Friday morning breezes over the Keeneland turf course.
Making his first appearance on the grass was American Rascal (Curlin), the first foal out of multiple Royal Ascot winner and Cartier Award-winning 2-year-old filly of 2016 Lady Aurelia (Scat Daddy), who was accorded 'TDN Rising Star' status for his towering 10 1/4-length victory in a 4 1/2-furlong maiden over the Keeneland main track Apr. 20. Ward pronounced himself pleased with the half-mile move from American Rascal (:50 flat), whose workmate Fandom (GB) (Showcasing) went the same distance in :49 3/5. The latter won his maiden on his Apr. 27 bow by 6 3/4 lengths.
“Julio [Garcia] was on him,” Ward said about American Rascal. “I wanted him to work nice and relaxed. Today was an ultra-impressive workout. To look at this horse, he's all speed. He looks like a running back: muscles on muscles, very compact. Just excited to see the next couple of works here. As long as all goes well, we're heading to the [June 22 G2] Norfolk [S.] and we're really excited about it.”
Fandom's Royal Ascot target has yet to be determined.
'TDN Rising Stars' Twilight Gleaming (Ire) (National Defense {GB}) and Love Reigns (Ire) (U S Navy Flag), each exiting Keeneland stakes victories and each set to make a second Royal Ascot appearance, breezed four furlongs in company in :50.40. Twilight Gleaming, second in the 2021 G2 Queen Mary S., won the Giant's Causeway S. in April and runs in the June 20 G1 King's Stand S., while Love Reigns was a solid fourth in last year's Queen Mary. This year's FanDuel Limestone S. winner is possible for the age-restricted G1 Commonwealth Cup June 23.
“Those were two nice works as well,” Ward said. “Julio [on Twilight Gleaming] broke off quite a bit behind Love Reigns and made up the ground down the lane, just comfortably. They finished together at the wire.”
Ward is also likely to be represented by Three Chimneys Farm's Bundchen (Gun Runner), who missed by a nose on Keeneland unveiling Apr. 28 and who worked in the company of the GI Jaipur S.-bound Arrest Me Red (Pioneerof the Nile). Candymaker (Twirling Candy), a debut winner sprinting on turf at Horseshoe Indianapolis May 22, rounds out the Ward team.
Turf works at Keeneland are scheduled for the next two Fridays. Ward said his Royal Ascot squad would depart Indianapolis June 14 on a direct flight to London Stansted Airport. They will spend several days at nearby Chelmsford Racecourse before moving to Ascot.
Ward said Irad Ortiz, Jr. and Joel Rosario will have Royal Ascot mounts on the horses they have been riding.
3rd-Churchill Downs, $118,574, Msw, 5-26, 2yo, f, 5f, :58.89, ft, 2 lengths. SHARP TUNE (f, 2, Frosted–Classy Tune {MSP, $135,504}, by Maclean's Music) made easy work of her debut with an impressive wire-to-wire score as the public's 4-5 favorite. The bay filly broke smartly from her inside post position and went right to the front, easily opening up on the field behind her with Intermittent (Bernardini) closest and stalking to her outside. Sharp Tune extended her lead as she rounded the bend and widened off even more into the stretch, opening up several lengths under vigorous handling and holding off the late challenging Foolish Front Fifi (Coal Front) to win by two at the wire. She is the second foal and first winner out of her multiple stakes-placed dam, who also produced an unnamed yearling colt by Violence and a filly by Hard Spun this year. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $69,000.
O/B-Douglas Scharbauer (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen.
Doppelganger (Into Mischief), last seen recording a 17-1 upset over Repo Rocks (Tapiture) in the GI Carter H. at Aqueduct Apr. 8, remains on target for a rematch with that foe in the GI Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan H. at Belmont Park June 10.
The $570,000 Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearlings Showcase purchase has registered his three most recent works over the Laurel main track, including a best-of-12 five furlongs that was timed in 1:01.60 May 24.
“Since the Carter, he's quite sharp,” trainer Brittany Russell said. “He thinks he's a bear. Each race, each win, he seems to get higher on himself.”
Though Russell says that connections contemplated a start in the GIII Pimlico Special S. going a mile and three-sixteenths, the decision has been made to continue to race the colt over shorter trips.
“We were thinking Special, but if we want[ed] Special we were going to kill the idea of the Met Mile. If he's a Grade I horse and he's going to be a better miler, that's the way we've got to go,” she said. “We need to pick a path and stay with it and we feel like one turn right now is probably the best way to go. Yes, it's going to be tough up there but as good as he's doing, we're going to take a big swing.”
