Led by Breeders ‘Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) Winner 2021 Golden Palace Trainer Wesley Ward worked the five horses on May 20 on Keeneland pitch for next month’s bets at Royal Ascot.
The Keeneland-based ward annually hosts an American equestrian party to Royal Ascot, where he has had 12 wins since 2009.
Mrs. John Magnier, Michael B. Tabor, Derrick Smith, and millionaire of Westerberg Golden Palace after a 4 3/4 length win in the Shakertown Stakes (G2) at Keeneland on April 9, knocking out 5 sweaters on the “good” court in 1:02 4/5 to prepare for the King’s Stand (G1) June 14.
All the work takes place on the outside of the pitch, outside of the orange plastic cones commonly known in racetrack lingo as “dogs”.
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“I think he had an unbelievable breeze today,” Ward said. “The grass is soggy, and I like to relax on the deep, soft grass. They come in and out works great.
“He cut 10 lengths in front of a 2-year-old, Love Reigns – she’s not fit for a pony like him at this stage of her career – but she has a goal. She had a great run (1:03 3/5) chasing the fastest horse in the world. He ignored it – unbelievable. That’s what you want to see. “
Love Reigns, owned by Stonestreet Stables, scored a 9 3/4 win over Keeneland on its April 29 debut 5 1/2 on grass. She will race at Queen Mary (G2) on June 15.
She appeared to briefly attempt to move around inside the plastic cone on the turf in her Friday breeze before being corrected by her rider.
Stonestreet also owns Royal Ascot hope Campanelle who went five times in the 1:04 lap to advance to the June 18 Platinum (G1) Celebration and winner of TVG Limestone Stakes Ruthin , who walked the same distance at 1:04 on May 4 to the Palace of Holyroodhouse on June 17. Campanelle worked behind Ruthin before moving to the front at the end of the tandem session.
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Campanelle is bidding for her third win at Royal Ascot, following wins at Queen Mary in 2020 and the Commonwealth Cup (G1) in 2021.
Another Royal Ascot worker of Ward is Andrew Farm and For the People Racing Stable’s No Nay Hudson , who recorded the slowest of the bunch with 5 stretches at 1:06 2/5. As the winner of his debut on 4 1/2 feathers on land at Keeneland on April 28, he got tickets to Windsor Castle June 15.
Ward’s Royal Ascot team has two more jobs in Keeneland coming Fridays, weather pending, before departing on June 8. They departed on a non-stop flight from Indianapolis to the Airport. London Stansted”, they landed and had a 10-minute ride to Chelmsford Racecourse, where they would stay for three days until they reached Ascot,” Ward said.
Top coach in Keeneland’s spring encounter, Ward appreciates Keeneland’s opportunity to work on the pitch. On May 10, he worked for Golden Pal and other horses on the field at Churchill Downs.
“The key to working on the pitch is letting them in and out of the sound works,” Ward said, “And there’s no better place to do that than on Keeneland. It’s amazing. I want to thank everyone joined Keeneland for allowing us to brag so we could get to Ascot 110%.”
