Wesley Ward | Horse Racing Free Tips

‘Ruth’-Like Performance: Ribchester 2yo Filly a Rising Star for Wesley Ward at Keeneland

Ruthin (GB) (f, 2, Ribchester {Ire}–Selinka {GB}, by Selkirk), a 350,000gns TATOCT yearling purchase, kicked off her career with a 'TDN Rising Star' performance sprinting on the Keeneland lawn for Wesley Ward Thursday.

The rail-drawn, 3-5 favorite shot out to the front and sped through an opening quarter in :21.91. She let it out a notch approaching the top of the stretch, and, despite racing greenly on her left lead for most of the stretch, was geared down late en route to a flashy, six-length victory over Artos (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}).

The final time for 5 1/2 furlongs over the “good” going was 1:04.95.

Freshman sire Ribchester, the European champion miler in 2016 and 2017, stands at Darley's Kildangan Stud. Ruthin is his first winner and was his priciest, first-crop yearling to switch hands in 2020.

Ruthin, a daughter of two-time stakes winner in England Selinka, is a half-sister to Hit The Bid (GB) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}), MGSW-Ire, GSP-UAE, GSP-Eng, $410,031. Selinka brought 100,000gns from John and Jake Warren in foal to Showcasing (GB) at the 2015 TATDEC sale. She is also represented by a 2021 Land Force (Ire) colt. This is the extended female family of G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest winner Bold Edge (GB).

1st-Keeneland, $40,960, Msw, 4-22, 2yo, f, 5 1/2fT, 1:04.95, gd, 6 lengths.
RUTHIN (GB), f, 2, 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)
Sales history: 350,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $21,720. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree or the VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
O-Stonestreet Stables LLC; B-Highclere Stud & Jake Warren Ltd (GB); T-Wesley A. Ward.

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Back From Overseas, Cowan Headlines Saturday’s Opening Night William Walker At Churchill

Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt, Madaket Stables and Spendthrift Farm's Cowan, runner-up in last fall's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (Grade 2), tops a field of ten 3-year-olds and two also-eligibles entered in Saturday's sixth running of the $125,000 William Walker (Listed).

The William Walker will highlight Saturday's Opening Night Presented by Budweiser 10-race program to kick off the 38-day Spring Meet that runs through June 26.

The William Walker, scheduled to be run over the Matt Winn Turf Course at 5 ½ furlongs for the first time, will go as the evening's ninth race with a 10:11 p.m. post time (all times Eastern). First post time is 6 o'clock. The temporary rail on the turf course will be in Lane 3, 22 feet from the inside hedge for racing Saturday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The rail will be taken down for racing on Oaks and Derby Days.

Trained by Steve Asmussen, Cowan returns to the races four weeks after finishing 10th against older horses beaten only 4 ¾ lengths in the Al Quoz Sprint (G1) in Dubai. Luis Saez, who was aboard in Dubai, has the call Saturday night and will exit post eight.

Wesley Ward, who sent out the most recent winner of the William Walker in 2019 with the filly Jo Jo Air, will be represented by two runners: Breeze Easy's Roderick and Silverton Hill's Next.

Roderick, who will be ridden by Drayden Van Dyke and exit post one, returns to the grass for the first time since finishing fifth in the Indian Summer last fall at Keeneland.

Next, who will be ridden by John Velazquez from post two, won his only start on the grass with that coming at Kentucky Downs in a maiden race. Saturday will mark his first start since chasing champion Essential Quality in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) in November.

The field for the William Walker, with riders from the inside, is: Roderick (Van Dyke), Next (Velazquez), Field Day (Tyler Gaffalione), Kasim (Gerardo Corrales), Unitedandresolute (Florent Geroux), Rockstar Ro (Corey Lanerie), Bodenheimer (Brian Hernandez Jr.), Cowan (Saez), Cees Get Degrees (Colby Hernandez) and Lookin for Loki (Mitchell Murrill). Also-eligibles: Into the Sunrise (Velazquez) and Charles Chrome (Julien Leparoux). All starters will carry 118 pounds.

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Philip Antonacci, Son Of Harness Immortal, Celebrates First Thoroughbred Winner

Philip Antonacci grew up in one of the most prominent harness racing families, but he has always been fascinated by the world of Thoroughbreds.

His father, Frank Antonacci, whose Lindy Farms has won five Hambletonians, has been inducted into the Harness Hall of Fame's Hall of Immortals. Yet, the 26-year-old Connecticut native has opted for a change of pace and embarked on a quest to succeed as a Thoroughbred trainer.

Antonacci, who has worked for several of the world's most respected Thoroughbred trainers to achieve that goal, notched his first major milestone as a Thoroughbred trainer Saturday at Gulfstream Park, where he saddled his first winner, Advanced Strategy, in the mile optional claiming allowance feature on turf. Owned by Lindy Farms, Advanced Strategy was Antonacci's fifth starter.

“He'll definitely have a home forever, being my first winner,” said Antonacci, who has 15 horses stabled at Payson Park.

Although he has become focused on his Thoroughbred career, Antonacci has hardly left the Standardbred world behind. In fact, he is teaming with Jimmy Takter, the retired Harness Hall of Fame legend who has ventured into Thoroughbred racing to assist Antonacci.

“He's like the D. Wayne Lukas of Standardbred racing. He retired three years ago. He always had an interest in Thoroughbreds, so when I decided to go on my own, he said, 'I'd like to come along and help and assist. We can put our minds together and come up with our own training plan,'” said Antonacci. “He's at the barn quite a bit. It's been a great team effort.”

Unfortunately, Takter was unable to attend the races Saturday.

“I was on the phone with him. He's won a lot of Hambletonians, but he said he was relieved to get this one across the line,” Antonacci said.

Antonacci, a graduate of Godolphin's Flying Start program, became interested in Thoroughbred while attending the races at Saratoga and went on to work for trainers Wesley Ward, Australia's Gai Waterhouse and Todd Pletcher.

“I grew up summers in Saratoga, so that's when I started to get into it,” said the University of Pennsylvania graduate. “I actually started off working for Wesley at Saratoga. He helped me a lot getting started, and he's the one who introduced me to Gai Waterhouse, who put me in touch with the Flying Start program. If it wasn't for them, I never would have gotten started in the Thoroughbred game.”

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Like the King Switches Back To Dirt at Keeneland

A week after taking a spin around the Keeneland turf course, Like the King (Palace Malice) returned to the Keeneland main track Saturday morning, drilling three-quarters of a mile in 1:12.80 (1/3) (see below) for the GI Kentucky Derby.

With former jockey Julio Garcia at the controls, the GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks winner worked in the company of newly minted Sovereign Award winner Artie's Princess (We Miss Artie) and broke off three lengths behind his stablemate before drawing on even terms at the sixteenth pole.

“That was a good work and the horse he worked with is a champion,” said trainer Wesley Ward, well on his way to a seventh Keeneland title. “He'll work again next Saturday or Sunday.”

Drayden Van Dyke, who has the call at Churchill, was aboard Like the King for his move.

WATCH: Like the King works Saturday at Keeneland

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