Woodford Stakes | Horse Racing Free Tips

Golden Pal Regains Winning Ways In Woodford Stakes Over Keeneland Turf

Prominent from the start, the Uncle Mo 3-year-old colt Golden Pal, proved too quick for his six rivals in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 Woodford Stakes presented by TVG at Keeneland racecourse in Lexington, Ky.

Ridden by John Velazquez, the Wesley Ward runner went right to the front, fought off a challenge from Firecrow on the turn for home, then pulled away down the stretch under steady encouragement to win by 2 1/4 lengths. He covered 5 1/2 furlongs on good turf in 1:03.12 after fractions of :21.51, :44.53 and :56.67

“He was very game,” said Velazquez. “Before the race – I never rode him so I asked Julio (Garcia, an exercise rider and jockey for trainer Wesley Ward). He said, 'Just put your hands down and he'll run for you; even if he gets passed he'll run for you.' I left him alone and when the other horse (Firecrow) came to him and put the head in front, I was like, 'Hey, we got to come back and run.' I got after him, and he gradually got away from the other horse. It took me two or three jumps to engage him back into the race, and after that he was pretty good.”

Extravagant Kid, an 8-year-old turf veteran from the barn of Brendan Walsh, closed to be second, with County Final another half length back in third, Johnny Unleashed fourth, Inhalation fifth, Firecrow sixth and Charcoal seventh.

“We are delighted,” said Walsh. “We can never be disappointed with this horse. He ran great again. The winner is a very, very good horse. Extravagant Kid is a model of consistency.”

Owned by Mr. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith and Westerberg, Golden Pal was winning for the fourth time in seven career starts. He paid $3 to win as the 1-2 favorite. He was bred in Florida by Randall E. Lowe.

Golden Pal was coming off his worst performance, a seventh-place finish in the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes at York racecourse in England on Aug. 20. One of his other defeats came when narrowly beaten in the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot in June 2020. Out of the crack sprinter Lady Shipman, by Midshipman (she finished second against males in the G1 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Keeneland in 2015), Golden Pal ran off three consecutive victories following the Norfolk, including a victory at Keeneland in the G2 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint.

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Ward-Trained 3-Year-Old Golden Pal Faces Veteran Extravagant Kid In Saturday’s Woodford

The youngster, 3-year-old Golden Pal, and the veteran, 8-year-old Extravagant Kid, top a field of seven entered Wednesday for Saturday's 25th running of the $200,000 Woodford (G2) Presented by TVG going 5½ furlongs over the Keeneland turf course.

The Woodford Presented by TVG is the first of five graded stakes on Saturday's 11-race program and will go as the sixth race with a 3:40 p.m. post time. First post Saturday is 1 p.m.

Ranlo Investments' Golden Pal will be making his first Keeneland start since winning the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2) here to kick off the World Championships program. Trained by Wesley Ward, Golden Pal finished seventh in the Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe (G1) at York in England in August in his most recent start.

Golden Pal will exit post two and be ridden by John Velazquez.

DARRS Inc.'s Extravagant Kid, earner of more than $1.6 million and winner of the Al Quoz Sprint Sponsored by Azizi Developments (G1) in Dubai in March, will be making his first Keeneland start since finishing fourth in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1) last November. Prior to that, he finished second in the Woodford Presented by TVG.

Trained by Brendan Walsh, Extravagant Kid drew post position six and will be ridden by Jose Ortiz.

The field for the Woodford Presented by TVG, with riders and weights from the inside, is:

Johnny Unleashed (Gerardo Corrales, 120 pounds)
Golden Pal (Velasquez, 118)
Inhalation (GB) (Adam Beschizza, 120)
Firecrow (Tyler Gaffalione, 120)
Charcoal (Corey Lanerie, 120)
Extravagant Kid (Ortiz, 124)
County Final (Ricardo Santana Jr., 118)

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Leinster Has Girth Troubles, Kicks Off Anyway In Woodford Stakes At Keeneland

Leinster had a more eventful trip than it might appear in Saturday's Grade 2 Woodford Stakes, owing to the strap from his over girth coming loose from its keepers, but it didn't hinder what was otherwise a stellar performance in the turf sprint.

The 5-year-old son of Majestic Warrior carried on what has already been a successful 2020 at Keeneland, after winning the track's marquee turf sprint race of the July meet, the G2 Shakertown Stakes, in track-record time. Adding another Keeneland win puts him in a strong position to carry that home-course advantage into the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at the same track.

On Saturday, Leinster broke sharply under jockey Luis Saez, and stayed within striking distance of leader Just Might. The strap on Leinster's girth was already loose and swinging by the time the field got through an opening quarter in :21.90 seconds, but Saez remained secure in the irons throughout the trip.

Just Might led the field through the turn and held on to the advantage, but Leinster gradually drew even with the pace setter approaching the final eighth, and he kicked on to win by a half-length over a late-gaining Extravagant Kid. Just Might continued on for third.

Leinster stopped the clock in the 5 1/2-furlong race in 1:01.59 over a fast turf course, a tick slower than his course-record time at the same distance in the Shakertown, which he completed in 1:00.86. He won the race for owners Amy Dunne, Brenda Miley, Westrock Stables, and Jean Wilkinson, and he was trained by Rusty Arnold. Leinster paid $7.80 to win as the favorite.

To view the full race chart, click here.

Quotes from the $150,000 Woodford Presented by TVG, courtesy of the Keeneland notes team

Rusty Arnold (winning trainer of Leinster)

“We had a little setback – he had a foot problem. We actually were going to run him at Kentucky Downs. We didn't get to run. Maybe it's a blessing because he stayed right here on his home track. He got to work on this turf course a couple of times – I think that's a big edge. Worked out good.”

Luis Saez (winning rider)

“He broke pretty sharp. He put me on the lead, but we didn't really want to be there. We wanted to track somebody. We had a perfect position, and I had a lot of horse. He just took off.”

Tyler Gaffalione (rider of runner-up Extravagant Kid)

“I am very pleased with his effort today. He has a tendency to kind of wait on horses when he makes the lead, so I was trying to time it right. We got beat by a really nice horse. I am pleased with what my horse gave today and I am looking forward to next time.”

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