Golden Pal, The Lir Jet Meet Again in Shakertown

A season premiere at Shakertown Stakes (G2T) worth $350,000 on April 9 at Keeneland for Breeders’ trophy winner ‘two times Golden Palace is first on the agenda in what could be an exciting 2022 campaign.

The Uncle Mo colt field 11 for a 5 1/2 long grass sprint, which could land him a third trip to Royal Ascot for King’s Stand Stakes (G1). A potential run in Australia later in the year was even mentioned as in the cards for intern Wesley Ward, who raced for Coolmore connections and last year ran a non-special Saturday in Coolmore. Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot.

Golden Pal is undefeated in two games that started at Keeneland, after winning the Breeders’ Cup Juniors Championship 2020 (G2T) and Woodford Stock 2021 presented by TVG (G2T) there before continued stellar performance in Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G2T) at Del Mar. Irad Ortiz Jr. got a call from lesson 10.

Lir Jet , who beat Golden Pal in the 2020 Norfolk Stakes (G2) at Royal Ascot, will also have his first match of the year at Shakertown. The Prince of Lir gelding joined Brendan Walsh’s stable last summer and won the 2021 Franklin Simpson Stakes (G2T) championship at the Kentucky Downs in September in his most recent starts for Qatar Racing and RacehorseClub.

“We gave him winter break,” Walsh said. “I wanted to go to Dubai with him but he was not invited, which surprised me because he has twice won the second prize.”

Tyler Gaffalione got a call from lesson 6.

“He ran a big for us the first time out, and hopefully he’ll do it again,” Walsh said.

#13 Lir Jet (6/1) wins Norfolk in a horror movie at #RoyalAscot pic.twitter.com/9ceRzgeGS2

– Racing TwinSpires (@TwinSpires) June 19, 2020

Holly and David Wilson’s California Delivery Man Barraza joined the mix in his first start outside of Golden State, entering a four-race winning streak for coach Vladimir Cerin, topped by a February 20 win at the San Simeon Stakes ( G3T) at Santa Anita . Park.

Classified multi-stakes winners Sorry diamond 3rd grade winner Gear Jockey and a big bet winner Just Might are familiar faces pursuing the winner’s goal of returning to the final round.