Wesley Ward | Horse Racing Free Tips

Golden Pal Returns to Winning Ways

The fleet-footed Golden Pal (Uncle Mo) rebounded from a disappointing effort at Royal Ascot with a gritty victory in Saratoga's GIII Troy S. Friday. Away in good order, the 1-5 favorite stalked from a two-wide third as True Valour (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) clicked off a :21.93 opening quarter. Moving up to draw alongside the top two turning for home, Golden Pal locked horns with True Valour as their temporary threat Carotari (Artie Schiller) quickly found the waters too deep and backed out of it. Those two battled stride-for-stride to the line with Golden Pal getting the nod. Thin White Duke (Dominus) came running late to complete the trifecta. Carotari faded to last.

“He's got a brilliant mind this horse and takes everything in, but he knew it was race day,” said winning trainer Wesley Ward. “The plan was, unless he broke super sharp, that I'd like him to come from behind. Irad [Ortiz, Jr.] worked him from behind the last few times, so he knew he could do it. Julio Garcia, our main rider at home, works him from behind every week. I'm glad he showed a little versatility today. I'm glad Irad gave him a couple of reminders on the shoulder and got him going the last little part. Right after the race he gave him a little pet and a tap and he said there was a lot more left in him.”

He added, “You're always concerned [about the close finish], but I have a of confidence in this horse. He's certainly the best horse I've ever had. Every time you lead him over he proves more and more what a joy [it is] to be around a special horse like this. It would make every single trainer get up in the morning. He's a once in a lifetime horse and I've been blessed to have a few of them, but this guy is certainly the best.”

On a potential dirt start in the six-furlong GII Phoenix S. Oct. 7 at Keeneland, Ward said, “We'll talk it over with everyone involved in the ownership of the horse and see which direction they want to go, but it's important to them to show what the horse can do on the dirt as well. Through all these issues he's had throughout his career–minor issues–I've kept him on the grass to keep him sound, but he's never been as sound as he is now. It would be a good time to try him and it would be a good time to try him on his home track.”

“When they opened the gate he was moving at the same time and they outbroke me,” Ortiz said. “They were in front of me and that's not his style. He's always in front of everyone the first couple of jumps. We've been working covered up in behind horses, that was how Wesley wanted me to work the horse, and today when that happened I wasn't afraid to take a hold or drop in and sit and wait because I was working with the horse. It worked out good. He's pretty fast out of there; probably the fastest horse I ride on the turf in my whole career.”

As for the poor effort at Royal Ascot, Ortiz said, “Last time didn't work out, honestly, he missed the break. I was a little aggressive and he stopped bad, so we didn't want the same thing to happen. Wesley let me do whatever, he didn't say instructions or anything. I love riding for him. I felt somebody was coming [Thin White Duke], but my horse was fighting with the other horse [True Valour], but my horse was responding well, so I know he's going to be there if I ask him too.”

A neck short in the G2 Norfolk S. at the 2020 Royal meeting, Golden Pal captured the Skidmore S. at the Spa and the GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint S. at Keeneland. Kicking off 2021 with a win in Saratoga's GIII Quick Call S., he was seventh when shipped across the pond for York's G1 Nunthorpe S., but returned to winning ways back at Keeneland in the GII Woodford S. last October. Securing his second win at the World Championships in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint S. at Del Mar, the son of Lady Shipman romped in Keeneland's GII Shakertown S. Apr. 9, but was eased to 16th as the heavy favorite after a slow start in the G1 King's Stand S. at Royal Ascot June 14.

Pedigree Notes:
Golden Pal is the first foal out of ultra-talented turf sprinter Lady Shipman, who came up just short in her Breeders' Cup bid, but won a total of eight stakes, including a track record-setting score in Saratoga's 5 1/2-panel Smart N Fancy S. That record of 1:00.46 was broken by Carotari in 2019, when he covered the distance in 1:00.21. Lady Shipman failed to get in foal to Gun Runner for 2019 and her 2020 Justify foal died. The 10-year-old mare produced an Omaha Beach colt now named Lieutenant General in 2021 and an Uncle Mo filly named Luvwhatyoudo in 2020. She was bred back to Essential Quality. Lady Shipman's MSP full-sister Just Talkin summoned $675,000 in foal to American Pharoah at the 2019 FTKNOV sale.

Friday, Saratoga
TROY S.-GIII, $300,000, Saratoga, 8-5, 4yo/up, 5 1/2fT, 1:00.92, fm.
1–GOLDEN PAL, 124, 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-Westerberg Limited, Mrs.
John Magnier, Michael B. Tabor and Derrick Smith; B-Randall E
Lowe (FL); T-Wesley A. Ward; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr. $165,000.
Lifetime Record: GISW-US & GSP-GB, 11-7-2-0, $1,638,431.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick
   Rating: A+.
2–True Valour (Ire), 122, h, 8, Kodiac (GB)–Sutton Veny (Ire), by
Acclamation (GB). (19,000gns Wlg '14 TATFOA; €100,000 2yo
'16 GBMBR; $225,000 6yo '20 FTKHRA). O-R. Larry Johnson;
B-Mr P. O'Rourke (Ire); T-H. Graham Motion. $60,000.
3–Thin White Duke, 118, g, 4, Dominus–Aberdeen Alley, by
Distorted Humor. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. O-Philip A.
Gleaves, Steven Crist, Ken deRegt and Bryan Hilliard; B-Phil
Gleaves (NY); T-David G. Donk. $36,000.
Margins: HD, NK, HF. Odds: 0.30, 11.00, 30.25.
Also Ran: Arzak, Yes and Yes, Spycraft, Carotari.
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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“He’s Here and He’s Ready;” Golden Pal Restarts Final Campaign in Friday’s Troy

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY – Trainer Wesley Ward turned to football to explain why Golden Pal (Uncle Mo) has turned out to be what he has said is the best horse he has handled during his 32-year career.

“Look at all the special running backs in history,” Ward said. “What makes them so special? They are naturally blessed with talent is what it comes down to. They are extremely fast and a lot of them have the mind for it as well. He's got both.”

Nearly two months after a disappointing appearance as the favorite in the G1 King's Stand S. at Royal Ascot in June, Golden Pal returns to competition Friday in the GIII Troy S. presented by Horse Racing Ireland at Saratoga Race Course. He drew post five in the field of seven going 5 1/2 furlongs on the turf.

Golden Pal is two for two at Saratoga and has won six straight–all in stakes company–in the U.S. since dropping his maiden debut in April, 2020. Overall, he has won six of 10 starts and earned $1.4 million, second in the Ward stable career standings to Judy the Beauty (Ghostzapper).

“He's certainly extremely accomplished here, having won two Breeders' Cups and is shooting for his third,” Ward said. “The only thing he's lacking is over there. He hasn't really come through for me going overseas.”

In his second start as a 2-year-old, Golden Pal was second by a neck to The Lir Jet (Ire) (Prince of Lir {Ire}) in the G2 Norfolk S. at Royal Ascot. Last summer at York, he was seventh in the G1 Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe S. On June 14 in the King's Stand, he got away slowly under Irad Ortiz, Jr., who had his head turned looking at a horse acting up behind the gate, was rushed up, weakened and was eased.

“This year I was just devastated with what happened at the break,” Ward said.

Golden Pal is the first foal out of Lady Shipman (Midshipman), who won 11 stakes during her distinguished career for Randall Lowe. During the height of her career, Lowe said he turned down a high offer of $3.5 million to sell Lady Shipman. He bred Golden Pal and when he failed to reach his reserve price at auction as a yearling, raced him as a 2-year-old. Following Golden Pal's victory in the GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint, Lowe sold him to the Coolmore partnership of Mr. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith and Westerberg Ltd., which kept him with Ward. The bay completed his 2021 campaign for his new owners with a 1 1/4-length score in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Del Mar.

Clearly, Golden Pal has become a Ward favorite.

“He's just such a joy to be around,” Ward said. “Every horse has a different personality, as people do. And this guy has just got a wonderful personality. He's always positive. He'd be a positive person if was a human. He's just a real cool guy to be around.”

Ward has been very careful with Golden Pal, balancing training with a light racing schedule throughout his career. He ran four times as a 2-year-old, another four times last year and will have four, possibly five, starts in this–his final–season on the track. Ward was especially enthusiastic about the way the colt performed in his debut this season, winning the GII Shakertown S. at Keeneland by 4 3/4 lengths Apr. 9.

Running away with the Shakertown in April | Coady

“It was a big race the spring,” Ward said. “He was only coming off a Breeders' Cup to Keeneland. We had to train him with the weather at Keeneland and take him up to Turfway and breeze him. He certainly wouldn't have been 100% going into the race fitness-wise, because we had to contend with the weather, but he just came on with just a powerful race. I was so looking forward to going over to Ascot with him as he just trained well from that point forward.”

Golden Pal has had three breezes at Saratoga, two of them bullets, over the Oklahoma turf training track since July 15.

“We've had ample spacing and he's here and he's ready,” Ward said.

In his two previous starts at Saratoga, Golden Pal was an easy and impressive winner. He broke his maiden by 3 1/2 lengths in the 2020 Skidmore S. when a return trip to Europe was scuttled due to weather. In 2021, he wowed the crowd on opening day with a 3-length victory in hand in the GIII Quick Call S.

From Saratoga, Golden Pal will return to Ward's home base at Keeneland to prepare for the Breeders' Cup. The prep in Kentucky could be an experiment, a surface change.

“We may go to the (GII Stoll Keenon Ogden) Phoenix, which is on the dirt, for stallion value,” Ward said. “We'll see if he can do it. There's no reason why he can't. In another trainer's barn he probably would have been a dirt horse, but he had a lot of physical issues along the way that kept me from running him on the dirt just to keep him sound.”

Golden Pal's only dirt start was in his first career race at Gulfstream Park.

While the Breeders' Cup is the career-ending target, Ward said one more race might be in the offing.

“It may or may not culminate in Australia,” Ward said. “It all depends on how we finish out the year, but Coolmore has expressed an interest in showcasing him for the breeders in Australia in the Southern Hemisphere.”

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Kimari Returns to Winning Ways in Honorable Miss

'TDN Rising Star' Kimari (Munnings) earned her first graded win of the season Wednesday when rallying to victory in Saratoga's GII Honorable Miss H. The 3-1 third choice in a four-horse field, the bay broke a hair slow from the outside post, though not as slow as second choice Frank's Rockette (Into Mischief) in the one-hole. Kimari sat off the fence in third with Frank's Rockette off her inside flank as favored Bella Sofia (Awesome Patriot) and 8-1 outsider Amadevil (Dominus) knocked heads on the front end. Amadevil cruised clear of the chalk, clocking a first quarter in :22.72. Frank's Rockette got into gear, charging up the fence to take control from her longshot foe with Bella Sofia and Kimari ranging up together on the outside as they entered the far turn. Frank's Rockette took command at the top of the stretch with Bella Sofia navigating her way to the fence for an inside attempt and Kimari still coming on the outside. Bella Sofia never turned on the after burners and posed the briefest of threats before backing up. Meanwhile, Kimari was just finding her best stride in the final sixteenth, forging clear of a determined Frank's Rockette to win by a half-length. Amadevil and was eased, vanned off and reported to have bled.

“I thought the race set up for today, especially drawing the outside,” trainer Wesley Ward said. “It gave Joel [Rosario] a nice easy run down the backside with no opposition as far as maneuvering to try to get there. He was already there when they opened the gates. That was a key. It just worked out great, and it's always great to stand in the winner's circle for a graded race at Saratoga. There's nothing like it.”

As for what's next, the conditioner said, “Our ultimate goal would be the [GI] Breeders' Cup [Filly and Mare Sprint in November at Keeneland] because it's my home track and her home track. So we'll work backwards from there and get together with Coolmore and give them a few options.”

“She ran good,” Rosario said. “She's a nice horse and always tries hard. I'm glad we got the win today. It looked like there was going to be so much speed and she [Kimari] can be up closer, but we kind of were in a good spot and she did great and responded to everything I asked her to do. I thought for a second the leader might get away, but she kept fighting and got the job done.”

Kimari captured the GI Madison S. at Keeneland last April and was subsequently sent to the sidelines. Resurfacing in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Del Mar seven months later, she checked in seventh behind stablemate Golden Pal (Uncle Mo) and went through the ring at Fasig-Tipton's November Sale two days later, summoning $2.7 million from Coolmore's M. V. Magnier. Returned to Ward's care, Kimari made her seasonal bow in a main track event at Gulfstream Mar. 3, romping by 5 1/4 lengths. The bay was third when attempting to defend her title in this year's Madison Apr. 9 and was fifth last time in the GI Derby City Distaff S. at Churchill Downs May 7.

Wednesday, Saratoga
HONORABLE MISS H.-GII, $186,000, Saratoga, 7-27, 3yo/up, f/m, 6f, 1:10.78, ft.
1–KIMARI, 123, m, 5, by Munnings
1st Dam: Cozze Up Lady (GSW, $407,169), by Cozzene
2nd Dam: The White Lady, by Johannesburg
3rd Dam: Maha Al Iman, by Pulpit
($152,000 Ylg '18 FTKJUL; $2,700,000 4yo '21 FTKNOV).
'TDN Rising Star' O-Westerberg Limited, Mrs. John Magnier,
Jonathan Poulin, Derrick Smith & Michael B. Tabor; B-China
Horse Club International Limited (KY); T-Wesley A. Ward; J-Joel
Rosario. $110,000. Lifetime Record: GISW-US & G1SP-Eng,
15-8-2-2, $981,327. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Frank's Rockette, 121, m, 5, Into Mischief–Rocket
Twentyone, by Indian Charlie. 'TDN Rising Star' O-Frank
Fletcher Racing Operations, Inc.; B-Frank Fletcher (KY);
T-William I. Mott. $40,000.
3–Bella Sofia, 125, f, 4, Awesome Patriot–Love Contract, by
Consolidator. ($20,000 2yo '20 OBSOPN). O-Michael Imperio,
Medallion Racing, Sofia Soares, Vincent S. Scuderi & Parkland
Thoroughbreds; B-Two Tone Farms (KY); T-Rudy R. Rodriguez.
$24,000.
Margins: HF, 5 3/4, 40HF. Odds: 3.05, 2.90, 0.70.
Also Ran: Amadevil. 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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The Major Talking Points From Day Two at Royal Ascot

From State Of Rest (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) silencing his doubters once again to Irad Ortiz's week going from bad to worse, there was plenty to digest from day two at Royal Ascot. Brian Sheerin fleshed out the main talking points from another thrilling day's action.

Eldar Eldarov Owner is Living the Dream

HH Shaikh Khalid, owner of Eldar Eldarov (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), told ITV Racing that his dream in racing is to find a horse good enough to stand as a stallion. Eldar Eldarov could well be up to fulfilling that dream one day judging by his hard-fought victory in the G2 Queen's Vase.

What do breeders want in a stallion? A horse who showed class on the track, but also one who had a will to win and was tough. Eldar Eldarov displayed all of those qualities in keeping his unbeaten record intact by snaring Zechariah (Ire) (Nathaniel) in the final strides.

Kew Gardens (Ire), Stradivarius (Ire) and Leading Light (Ire) all feature among the roll of honour for the Queen's Vase throughout the past decade and it's safe to assume that Eldar Eldarov will go down as one of the better winners of the 1 3/4-mile contest given the victory represented just the third start of his career.

Eldar Eldarov looks sure to develop further as a stayer and is likely to take high rank in the G1 St Leger at Doncaster later in the season.

It should also be noted that this horse had an abundance of options throughout the week but Roger Varian and his team chose correctly as the step up in trip has clearly seen him in an even greater light.

He looks a smart horse in the making and, if successful in the St Leger, will go some way in delivering his owner's dream.

Time to Give State Of Rest the Respect he Deserves

What on earth does State Of Rest have to do to start getting the respect he deserves? Here is a horse who has won Group/Grade 1 races in America, Australia and France, yet he was allowed to go off at odds just shy of 10-1 on the World Pool and returned 5-1 in a five-runner Prince Of Wales's S.

Of course, this is all being said with a heavy helping of hindsight, because State Of Rest needed to bounce back from a below-par effort in the G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh, when the race didn't go to plan.

Like State Of Rest, Shane Crosse had a few questions to answer after that third-place effort behind Alenquer (Fr) (Adlerflug {Ger}), and he did just that with an exhibition in front-running riding.

Crosse got the fractions right and saved enough to fend off Bay Bridge (GB) (New Bay {Ire}) who, despite having much more to prove than State Of Rest, was sent to post a 10-11 favourite.

It's hard to imagine what more State Of Rest needs to do to start getting the credit he deserves. He has been brilliantly handled by Joseph O'Brien to win four races at the highest level–in three different continents–and it's about time he started getting the credit for being the top-notcher that he is.

From Bad to Worse for Ortiz

Wesley Ward made a big call last week in pledging his Royal Ascot allegiance to Irad Ortiz, in doing so relegating leading European riders like Frankie Dettori to the substitutes bench.

The pair got off to a difficult start on Tuesday when Golden Pal (Uncle Mo) missed the kick completely in the G1 King's Stand S. before trailing home in last position, after which, Ortiz revealed he was looking at the withdrawn Mondammej (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) when the gates opened.

Things went from bad to worse on Wednesday when Ortiz picked up a five-day ban for careless riding for a dangerous maneuver aboard Love Reigns (Ire) (US Navy Flag) in the G2 Queen Mary S.

Unlike Golden Pal, Love Reigns broke like a bullet from the stalls in the Queen Mary S., but Ortiz then allowed the filly to drift across to her left, forcing leading fancy Katey Kontent (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) off her running line.

Love Reigns could only manage fourth behind the hugely impressive Dramatised (Ire) (Showcasing {GB}) and the stewards took a dim view of Ortiz's riding at the start of the race by dishing out that ban.

Luckily for the top American-based rider, he has a number of chances to redeem himself, including with Campanelle (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) in the G1 Commonwealth Cup on Friday.

Predictably, many people made the argument that a seasoned professional like Dettori, who knows Ascot better than most, would never make the same mistake at the gates as Ortiz did aboard Golden Pal.

Therefore, there was a certain irony that Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire})'s bid for Prince Of Wales's glory was all but over after Dettori failed to move the blindfold in time, costing John and Thady Gosden's charge valuable lengths at the start.

Turns out all of these top jockeys are human, eh?

Big Bear an Important Ballydoyle Winner

Little Big Bear (Ire) (No Nay Never) ran out an important winner of the Listed Windsor Castle S. for Aidan O'Brien, who had sent out 21 runners since recording his last winner, no less than Tuesday (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G1 Oaks.

There has been a school of thought that O'Brien has been dealing with an above average bunch of 2-year-olds this season, evidenced by the fact that he has sent out 13 winners from 26 runners domestically, which equates to a whopping 50% strike-rate.

Blackbeard (Ire) (No Nay Never) ran a perfectly respectable race when fourth in the G2 Coventry S. on Tuesday but nothing beats a winner and the success of Little Big Bear will provide the Ballydoyle team with confidence heading into the rest of the week.

O'Brien has The Antarctic (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), a brother to Battaash, to look forward to in the G2 Norfolk S. on Thursday while Meditate (Ire) (No Nay Never) is likely to go off a short-priced favourite for the G3 Albany S.

It may have taken the O'Brien team a little time to click into gear at the royal meeting this year but it will be a surprise if the success of Little Big Bear is not built upon.

TDN Rising Stars Come Of Age

There is an old saying that self praise is no praise but, in the case of the TDN's 'Rising Stars', the hugely popular designation is showing a 100% strike-rate in the juvenile races at the royal meeting thus far.

Impressive G2 Coventry S. winner Bradsell (GB) (Tasleet {GB}), G2 Queen Mary heroine Dramatised and the Windsor Castle hero Little Big Bear were all flagged as 'TDN Rising Stars'. Don't say you weren't told.

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