Tag: Wesley Ward

Flatter Filly an Easy Debut Winner at Ellis

5th-Ellis, $67,900, Msw, 8-1, 2yo, f, 5 1/2fT, 1:03.77, fm, 4 1/4 lengths.
SONG OF NORWAY (f, 2, Flatter–Cougarstown {SW, $101,723}, by Speightstown) was installed the 2-1 favorite, her position only strengthened by the late scratch of the well-meant Pinotslilgirl (Jimmy Creed). Jumping to the front in a blink of an eye from her high draw, the Wesley Ward trainee led 3-1 chance Saltwater Taffy (Twirling Candy) and Midnight Angel (West Coast) through an initial quarter in :22.12. Rolling through the a half in :45.79, the blinkered filly opened up in the stretch, crossing the wire an uncontested 4 1/4-length winner over Saltwater Taffy, who outstayed 5-2 second choice Candy Landy (Candy Ride {Arg}). Following the race, the stewards had to take a look as Satona (Constitution), who broke awkwardly to the outside, was forced to check hard as she ran up on the heels of Candy Landy early. Following some deliberation, the result was allowed to stand. A half to Treason (Constitution), GSW, $196,277 and Elevenses (More Than Ready), SW & GSP, $146,365, the winner also has a weanling sister by Not This Time. Sales history: $130,000 Ylg '22 FTKJUL. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $40,600. Click for the Equibase.com chart.
O-CJ Thoroughbreds; B-Ramspring Farm (KY); T-Wesley A. Ward.

The post Flatter Filly an Easy Debut Winner at Ellis appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Sam’s Treasure Switches to Dirt and Romps in Saratoga Maiden

by Bill Finley & Patrycja Szpyra

As he often does with his 2-year-olds, trainer Wesley Ward started Sam's Treasure (Munnings) off in a grass race, in this case a five-furlong maiden on May 11 at Belmont. She finished second, 2 3/4 lengths behind the winner–Cynane (Omaha Beach) had the distinction of being her sire's first winner and was Royal Ascot-bound for a time–but there was nothing about the performance to suggest that she could develop into a top horse. Maybe Ward should have been thinking dirt all along.

In a much improved effort, Sam's Treasure dominated nine rivals to win the $136,500 six-furlong race by 5 3/4 lengths. She tracked pacesetter Life's Joy (Mitole) down the backstretch, took over on the turn and then drew clear of her rivals to post a dominant victory. After being steadied early and losing ground, Colonial Rose (Constitution) managed to recover well enough to safely secure runner-up honors, but long behind the winner.

Sam's Treasure was ridden by John Velazquez, who was subbing for the injured Jose Ortiz.

The field included Camera (Curlin), a first-time starter from the Todd Pletcher barn who cost $1,050,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale. The daughter of MGISP Cassies Dreamer (Flatter) bobbled a few steps out of the gate and never recovered. She finished ninth as the 70-100 favorite.

“Earlier on we had her on both surfaces,” Ward said of Sam's Treasure. “I just thought she's a big filly. She came to hand early but the races at Keeneland are at 4 1/2 furlongs and a horse needs to be a little quicker than she is to win those. The Belmont race came up. I like to run horses on grass there because it's a kind and forgiving surface. If she didn't win, I thought that would still set her up nicely for Saratoga and it did.”

Sam's Treasure, also a Fasig-Tipton Saratoga graduate, was picked out at the sale by the team of Ben McElroy, Ward and Mike Hall, the managing director of the owner, Breeze Easy LLC. She sold for $700,000.

 

“She was beautiful here last summer at the Saratoga sale,” Ward said. “We went around and looked at all the horses and this was Ben McElroy's pick as well. We kind of pushed Mike Hall into buying her because it was a lot of money for her.”

At the time of the sale, Hall's partner in Breeze Easy was Sam Ross. Ross died in September at the age of 79.

“Unfortunately, Sam died last year so Mike Hall named her Sam's Treasure after Sam,” Ward said. “And Sam's Treasure came through for him today. Sam is shining down on us. Mike is someone you really want to get behind and win for. It's so hard to win, especially here at Saratoga. To have a filly as promising as this, I'm really excited.”

Bred by Baron Thoroughbreds in Kentucky, Sam's Treasure is the second offspring for her dam, Malibu Treasure, but the first to make the races ahead of elder half-brother Buckeye Don (Speightstown). The mare had back-to-back colts by Promises Fulfilled, a yearling and a 2023 foal. Hailing from a Graded stakes-placed and multiple stakes-winning half-sister to G1SP & MGSW Choctaw Nation, Malibu Treasure can also claim GSW Her Temper; GISW El Deal (Munnings); and GSW Thunder Achiever as members of her extended female family.

6th-Saratoga, $105,000, Msw, 7-23, 2yo, f, 6f, 1:11.22, ft, 5 3/4 lengths.
SAM'S TREASURE (f, 2, Munnings–Malibu Treasure, by Malibu Moon) Sales history: $700,000 Ylg '22 FTSAUG. Lifetime Record: 2-1-1-0, $75,750. O-Breeze Easy, LLC; B-Baron Thoroughbreds, LLC (KY); T-Wesley A. Ward. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

The post Sam’s Treasure Switches to Dirt and Romps in Saratoga Maiden appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Into Mischief’s Daring Do Wins Her First Stakes In Pea Patch

Daring Do (Into Mischief) broke her maiden in early March at Turfway Park in her second career race and then switched to Keeneland's turf where she won by a head to clear the next condition.

Last seen running third by a length behind stablemate Kaufymaker (Jimmy Creed) against optional claimers May 28 at Churchill Downs, the 15-8 second choice here dropped back to settle into fourth up the backstretch. Chasing the pace set by favorite American Apple (American Pharoah) around the far turn, the bay filly hugged the fence, tipped to the three path before the eighth pole and ran on nicely to win by a length over the late running Twice as Sweet (Candy Ride {Arg}).

Out of an extended female family which includes GISW Cat Moves (Tale of the Cay), the winner's dam is a half-sister to both GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf hero Hootenanny (Quality Road) and his full-sister GSP Ryder Ryder Ryder. Daring Do is her dam's first to the make the races, but she does have an unraced 2-year-old half-sister named Letmenowhenurready (Quality Road) and a yearling half-brother. Her dam foaled a filly Apr. 7 by Not This Time.

PEA PATCH S., $100,000, Ellis, 7-16, 3yo, f, 5 1/2fT, 1:01.82, fm.
1–DARING DO, 118, f, 3, by Into Mischief
                1st Dam: More'n Likely, by Blame
                2nd Dam: More Hennessy, by Hennessy
                3rd Dam: Dance Move, by Capote
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O-Lael Stables; B-M. Roy Jackson (KY); T-Wesley A. Ward; J-Walter A. Rodriguez. $59,140. Lifetime Record: 5-3-0-2, $184,275.
2–Twice as Sweet, 118, f, 3, Candy Ride (Arg)–Snowbell, by Tapit. O-Godolphin, LLC; B-Godolphin (KY); T-Brendan P. Walsh. $19,900.
3–American Apple, 118, f, 3, American Pharoah–Miss Mary Apples, by Clever Trick. ($600,000 RNA 2yo '22 KEENOV). O/B-KatieRich Farms (KY); T-Daniel Leitch. $9,700.
Margins: 1, 2HF, HF. Odds: 2.86, 4.64, 1.77.
Also Ran: Erna, Condensation, Twirled, Mornin' Boss, Foolish, Zoom Erin. Scratched: Isabel Alexandra (Ire), Liliesformillie.
Click for the Equibase.com chart.

The post Into Mischief’s Daring Do Wins Her First Stakes In Pea Patch appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Ward Hit With 15-Day Suspension For Monmouth Positives

Trainer Wesley Ward has begun serving a 15-day suspension after a horse he trained tested positive for the substances naproxen and metformin following a July 15, 2022, race at Monmouth. Ward's suspension began June 23 and ends July 7. He was also fined $2,000.

The Paulick Report was first with the story.

The infraction occurred in a five-furlong maiden special weight race on the turf with the gelding Insanity It Seems (Tale of the Cat), who won by 2 1/4 lengths. The horse, who is also owned by Ward, has not run back since.

Ward said he did not consider filing an appeal.

“What are you going to do?” he said. “When you appeal and go down that road things can get tough and you wind up paying a lot in lawyer bills.”

Because there were positives for two drugs, the penalties could have been more harsh, but, according to co-counsel Drew Mollica, the Monmouth stewards concluded that the presence of metformin in and of itself did not warrant a significant fine or suspension.

“The science proved that the metformin was at such a trace amount that they concluded there were mitigating circumstances,” said Mollica, who was co-counsel along with Darrell Vienna. “They took into account that metformin was a derivative of contamination. The penalty is indicative of the finding that only the naproxen was an issue and that the metformin was a result of contamination. Without the mitigation, the penalty could have been much harder. So we are appreciative of the New Jersey Commission paying attention to the science and buying into our argument.”

Naproxen, also known as the over-the-counter analgesic Aleve, is a regulated anti-inflammatory drug. According to the website Equimed.com, it can be used in horses to treat lameness,  musculoskeletal pain from soft tissue injury, muscle soreness and bone and joint problems. Metformin is a human drug prescribed for type II diabetes. In horses, it may be prescribed if a horse cannot exercise due to laminitis, or if insulin levels are very high.

Ward said he did not know how the naproxen got into the horse's system.

“I shipped to Monmouth to another trainer's barn and his staff ran the horse for me,” he said. “He's a great friend of mine and when the results came back, I was surprised to hear what happened. I know the rules are rules and the stewards have to do what they have to do. I'm just going to try to keep doing the best I can.”

The Monmouth race marked the second time Ward has had a positive for metformin. His Averly Jane (Midshipman) tested positive for the drug in the April 28, 2021 Kentucky Juvenile S. at Churchill Downs. That offense resulted in a 15-day suspension.

The post Ward Hit With 15-Day Suspension For Monmouth Positives appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Verified by MonsterInsights