Wesley Ward | Horse Racing Free Tips

Medina Spirit Named Florida-Bred Horse of the Year

Medina Spirit (Protonico) was named the 2021 Florida-bred Horse of the Year in a vote by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association board of directors and announced at the FTBOA Awards Gala held Monday night at the Circle Square Cultural Center in Ocala.

Bred in Florida by Gail Rice, who was honored with her second consecutive Needles Award Monday evening as the Association's small breeder of the year, and Medina Spirit's dam Mongolian Changa (Brilliant Speed) was also named the FTBOA Broodmare of the Year in a vote by the board.

Mrs. John Magnier, Michael B. Tabor, Derrick Smith and Westerberg's Golden Pal (Uncle Mo) was the most decorated Florida-bred on the night having been named the Florida-bred Champion 3-Year-Old Male, Florida-bred Champion Sprinter and Florida-bred Champion Male Turf Horse.

Trained by Wesley Ward, Golden Pal became the first Florida-bred to win two Breeders' Cup events when he dominated the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Del Mar. In 2020, the first foal out of Lady Shipman (Midshipman) won the GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Sprint at Keeneland.

Other winners from FTBOA's Awards Gala included: Shifty She (Gone Astray), Champion Turf Female and Older Mare; Pappacap (Gun Runner), Champion 2-Year-Old Colt; Outfoxed (Valiant Minister), Champion 2-Year-Old Filly; Livingmybestlife (The Big Beast), Champion 3-Year-Old Filly; Firenze Fire (Poseidon's Warrior), Champion Older Male; Sound Machine (Into Mischief), Champion Female Sprinter; Khozan, Stallion of the Year; Live Oak Stud, Breeder of the Year.

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TDN Snippets: Week of Apr. 18 – Apr. 24

There was history being made this past week and there is history yet to be made. Break out your encyclopedias, your preferred tomes of ancient references, any long-dusty papers from years past, and enjoy the show.

Who run the world? Girls.
Letruska joined elite, and truly rarified air with her successful defense of her GI Apple Blossom title over another Apple Blossom winner in Ce Ce. Only three other mares have accomplished the feat of multiple wins in Oaklawn's signature event for dirt distaffers dating back to 1973, and their names grace the walls in the Hall of Fame: Paseana (Arg), Azeri, and Zenyatta.

Royal Ascot bound?
The former Wesley Ward-trained No Nay Never had two TDN Rising Stars, Ballydoyle's Deneuve (filly) and Aesop's Fables (colt), over the span of three days in Ireland. That also makes it five winners from seven juvenile runners for Mr. O'Brien this season. Roll on Ascot…

History in the making?
This year we have not one, not two, but seven stallions with the potential to pull off a Derby-Oaks sire double, something that hasn't been done since Native Dancer sired the winners of both races 56 years ago. In the 147 years of Derby-Oaks history, the feat has been accomplished exactly four times.

Busy, busy…
Chad Schumer was the sale's top buyer at OBS last week, taking home 15 horses for $3.03-million. They ranged from a $30,000 Kantharos colt (Hip 1192) to a $800,000 Justify filly (Hip 1139).

McCraken throws a firecracker…
Airdrie Stud stallions just keep rolling out the winners as this freshman sire claimed his first starter and winner at the ever-competitive Keeneland Spring meet. Crackalacking was a modestly sold runner -$15,000 at KEEJAN and $20,000 KEESEP last year- who blitzed the field by five lengths.

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Saturday Racing Insights: $550k Uncle Mo Colt Kicks Off at Keeneland

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency

2nd-KEE, $100K, MSW, 3yo/up, 5 1/2fT, 1:32 p.m.

Trainer Wesley Ward brings 3-year-old LAWMAKER to Keeneland on Saturday for owners Westerberg Limited and Mrs. John Magnier. The son of Uncle Mo, who sold for $550k at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, is out of the stakes-winning Big Brown mare Red Sashay, herself a half-sister to GSW Shamaal Nibras (First Samurai) who earned over $580k and GSP & SW New Edition (Stormy Atlantic). Lawmaker has been in consistent work in preparation for his debut including a five furlong drill on the all-weather track at Turfway Park Apr. 7 in 1:00 2/5 (3/11) and a four furlong bullet from the gate Mar. 21 in :46 1/5 (1/4). Lawmaker gets veteran jockey John Velazquez aboard for his first time out. TJCIS PPs

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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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