Coach Wesley Ward confirmed a report from RSN That American grass sprint star Golden Palace is being considered for a trip to Australia, although such an excursion won’t take place until late 2022 at the earliest, the coach said.
Main goal to 2022 for Uncle Mo colt is a title defense in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1T), next year will take place at Keeneland, Facility of the Ward. The 3-year-old pony is 2v2 at Lexington, won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2T) there in 2020 and Woodford Stakes presented by TVG (G2T) in October. two before his most recent Breeders’ Cup win.
Golden Pal raced for Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith and Westerberg. That Coolmore affiliate purchased it from breeder Randall Lowe last summer.
“They’re thinking of the stallion – if he can do what he’s done here, with one race, it’ll be huge for him to excite the breeders there to breed with him,” Ward said.
Coolmore’s Tom Magnier did not mention specific goals to RSN when he first mentioned the possibility of a trip to Australia for Golden Pal.
“There aren’t too many American sprinters coming to Australia, so it’s going to be something different that we’re looking to do,” he told RSN.
If things go the way Golden Pal’s relationships hope, he could become a world traveler next year. The King’s Stand (G1) in England at Royal Ascot is a summer target. He nearly failed the Norfolk Stakes (G2) at Royal Ascot at the age of 2.
Ward said he had run a horse before in Australia, Ken and Sarah Ramsey’s Cannonball , who, after finishing third in the 2009 Breeders Cup Sprint, went overseas to finish 10th in the 2009 Cathay Pacific Hong Kong (G1) Sprint at Sha Tin in Hong Kong and came in second. nine during the Coolmore VRC Lightning Stakes 2010 (G1) at Flemington in Australia. Gelding ended up staying in Australia and racing to find different connections.
Golden Pal is currently staying with Ward in Keeneland. “He’s doing unbelievable,” said the coach.
The first intended pony race in 2022 is April’s Shakertown Stakes (G2T) at Keeneland. Shakertown is a race that Ward has won three of the past six years, including twice with Binding for Nowhere (2018, 2021), a horse he also owns.
With Bound for Nowhere, Ward has enough power to be able to infiltrate Shakertown, although he seems reluctant to piece them together due to the brilliance of the Golden Pal.
“No, if it had anything to do with it, I wouldn’t be putting that Bound for Nowhere against that guy right now,” he said.
A hybrid from Florida won the bet Shipman mare Lady Shipman , Golden Pal is 5-for-8 with earnings of $1,299,056. He won this year’s Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Del Mar 1 1/4 of his usual front run under Irad Ortiz Jr.
