Wesley Ward | Horse Racing Free Tips

GISW Kimari to Bypass Honorable Miss

Trainer Wesley Ward said he will skip Wednesday's GII Honorable Miss S. with Ten Broeck Farm's Kimari (Munnings). The 4-year-old has not run since capturing the GI Madison at Keeneland Apr. 3. According to Ward, the filly wasn't showing the energy she previously had shown during morning training.

“She's doing well, just not quite as good as she was previously, so I thought we should err on the side of caution,” Ward explained. “We did some X-rays and according to Dr. [Luis] Castro, she was perfect. But visually, she wasn't quite kicking the same way she had. We gave her a break because she ran such a big race at Keeneland. When I lead her over there, I would want her to 100%.”

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Nunthorpe, Flying Five On The Radar For Golden Pal After Saratoga Win

After returning victorious in Saratoga's Opening Day Quick Call, trainer Wesley Ward said Golden Pal will take his talents overseas for his next engagement.

A winner of his last three starts, Golden Pal was in command throughout the entire 5 ½-furlong journey for sophomores and was wrapped up by jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. in the final sixteenth of a mile, garnering a career-best 95 Beyer for the three-length win.

Ward said he plans on shipping Golden Pal back to Keeneland in the next couple of days to prepare for a possible start in either the Group 1 Nunthorpe on Aug. 20 at York in England or the Group 1 Flying Five on Sept. 12 at the Curragh in Ireland. Both races offer the winner an expenses-paid berth to the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint in November at Del Mar.

“I was planning on going this morning, but he ran such a big effort I'll keep him here for a couple of days,” Ward said. “Right now, when he's this good and you want to try and make him a sire, you have to hook into a Group 1 somewhere.”

Ward said the Nunthorpe might be coming up a little sooner than ideal.

“It's close together, but when you're talking about going over to England and off a layoff, I like to give them some time so I'm not 100 percent certain he'll go to the Nunthorpe,” Ward said. “I would say, looking at his energy and his workouts, that will determine whether it's there or if he'll run in Ireland. I've never run one in Ireland.”

Both the Nunthorpe and the Flying Five are contested at five furlongs, a half-furlong shorter than the Quick Call.

“He's much better going five-eighths,” Ward said.

Golden Pal, owned by Coolmore partners Michael Tabor, Mrs. John Magnier, Derrick Smith and Westerberg, was a dazzling 3 ½-length winner of the Skidmore at Saratoga last summer before capturing the Grade 2 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Keeneland. He arrived at the Quick Call off eight months rest.

Golden Pal's next start will not be his first international endeavor. In his second outing, he was second beaten a neck in the Group 2 Norfolk last June at Royal Ascot.

While Golden Pal takes his show on the road, Ten Broeck Farm's five-time stakes winner Kimari will target the Grade 2, $200,000 Honorable Miss on July 28 at Saratoga.

The daughter of Munnings captured the Grade 1 Madison on April 3 at Keeneland last out, defeating graded stakes-winners Estilo Talentoso, Bell's the One and Sconsin.

The 4-year-old bay filly, who has never finished worse than fourth in 10 career starts, seeks a second stakes victory at the Spa. She earned her first stakes triumph when taking the Bolton Landing in August 2019.

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Nunthorpe Or Flying Five For Golden Pal

Last year's GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint scorer Golden Pal (Uncle Mo) is on course for either the G1 Nunthorpe S. on Aug. 20 or the G1 Flying Five S. at The Curragh on Sept. 12 after an eye-catching seasonal debut in Thursday's GIII Quick Call S. at Saratoga for trainer Wesley Ward. It was Golden Pal's first start for the Coolmore partners and Westerberg since being purchased privately from breeder Randall Lowe.

“[The Quick Call] was five and a half [furlongs], and the competition wasn't at the same level as what he would face in the Nunthorpe, but if you shorten that up [half a furlong], I think he could run with anything I've ever trained,” Ward said.

Golden Pal finished second in last year's G2 Norfolk S. before breaking his maiden at Saratoga and winning at the Breeders' Cup.

“Over five furlongs, he's a killer,” Ward added. “He's just so quick and agile, and mentally he's really coming around, more so this year than last year. He's always been able to run, but now the rider can contain him–and when he asks for that little burst, very few horses I've had have been able to do that.”

“The Nunthorpe has eluded me, but hopefully we'll get it done this year,” Ward added. “We've been having massive rainstorms over here, so there was quite a bit of give in the ground yesterday. He handled the ground well at Ascot last year as well, so he's got no issues with the ground being a little soft. The only issue would be, while he pulled up really good and sound, we'll see how his energy levels are in his works here in the next couple of weeks, and whether it warrants giving him an extra bit of time for the Flying Five. One of those two races is what he'll be in.”

Ward said G1 Commonwealth Cup and G2 Queen Mary S. winner Campanelle (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) remains on course for the G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest on Aug. 8.

“We're doing really well with her,” Ward said. “She had a breeze on the dirt for the first time since I've had her last week, and we're asking the powers that be for a breeze on the grass at Keeneland this week. She's on target for the Maurice de Gheest at Deauville and leaves here on July 31. Like Golden Pal, she has no issues with softer ground. In fact, it might be better if it rains a little.”

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Nine-Month Layoff No Problem For Breeders’ Cup Winner Golden Pal In Saratoga’s Quick Call

Stakes action for the 2021 meet at Saratoga Race Course kicked off in exciting fashion on Thursday's Opening Day as highly regarded turf sprinter Golden Pal returned to the Spa with vigor, posting a three-length victory in the Grade 3, $120,000 Quick Call for 3-year-olds going 5 ½ furlongs over the Mellon turf course in front of 27,760 fans in attendance.

Golden Pal shook off eight months of rust from his previous outing in the Grade 2 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint on November 6 at Keeneland. That three-quarter length win came after another astounding Spa stakes win in the Skidmore at 5 ½ furlongs last August.

Golden Pal gave Coolmore partners Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith and Westerberg another graded stakes triumph on the NYRA circuit less than a week after respective victories with Santa Barbara and Bolshoi Ballet in the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks and Grade 1 Belmont Derby on Saturday.

Irad Ortiz, Jr. nudged Golden Pal coming out of the gate and the talented bay responded swiftly, blitzing through the opening quarter-mile in a torrid 21.92 seconds over good turf. Jaxon Traveler kept close company in second as the field came around the far turn, but Ortiz, Jr. did not call on his charge until just past the quarter-pole.

Golden Pal extended his advantage in mid-stretch and was wrapped up past the sixteenth-pole, completing the journey in 1:02.99.

Florida invader Omaha City closed late for second, edging Jaxon Traveler by a half-length.

Rebel Posse, Second of July and Kentucky Pharoah completed the order of finish. Fauci and main track only entrants Mr. Sippi and Fire Sword were scratched.

Ortiz, Jr., who has never lost aboard Golden Pal in three starts, said he was pleased with the effort.

“He's a nice horse. I'm happy he came back where he left off,” said Ortiz, Jr., who piloted Charlie'sarchangel to victory in the first race on Opening Day. “He broke really nice for me. When I asked him, he responded really well. I didn't want to ask too early. I didn't want him to do too much, he's been off for a long time.”

Trainer Wesley Ward, who won his first graded stakes at the Spa, could not help but sing high praises on behalf of his talented colt.

“He's so extremely talented and quick,” Ward said. “He's a big horse and he moves like a cat and that's where he really has an advantage. I was a little concerned going into the race that I didn't have a gate work into him, but he's so smart that he overcame that in the first jump. When they said 'go,' he was gone.

“I like sprinters off layoffs,” Ward continued. “I think they run their best races off layoffs, more so than the distance horses. I think they need spacing in between because they are so fast and put so much into it, especially the first part of the race.”

Ward said the long term goal for Golden Pal is the Grade 1, $1 million Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint on November 6 at Del Mar.

“The bigger races are here in the next months and heading into the fall and then the Breeders' Cup, so this is when you want to see them do this,” Ward said.

Upping his consistent record to 5-3-2-0, Golden Pal added $66,000 to a bankroll which now stands at $659,056. He returned $2.40 as the 1-5 post-time favorite.

Bred in Florida by Randall E. Lowe, Golden Pal is out of the Midshipman mare Lady Shipman, who notched two of her 11 stakes triumphs at Saratoga in the 2015 Coronation Cup and Smart N Fancy.

Live action resumes Friday with a 10-race program headlined by the Grade 3, $150,000 Forbidden Apple for 4-year-olds and upward going one mile over the inner turf course. First post is 1:05 p.m. Eastern.

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