Considering the disappointment of Royal Ascot’s winless march last month, Wesley Ward is taking a pragmatic view.
“It’s horse racing, you know? Things happen,” Ward said on a warm summer morning at his barn nearby. Keenelandwhere he is plotting to get back on track with crack sprinters Golden Pal and Campanelle the highest-achieving of his five Royal Ascot runners.
“We came back well,” Ward said of the team. “We were a little bit fed up but we ended up with Campanelle with a very admirable (heat-dead) third place (in group 1 Platinum Jubilee Stakes) … that’s fine. First, she just was an amazing slut, endowed with immense talent, she ran a beautiful race there, finished third in the biggest sprint they had in Europe, and a the race requires six straight stretches uphill.”
Stonestreet Stables’ 4-year-old daughter Zodiac are looking to win their third Royal Ascot in a row, after winning the Queen Mary Stakes in 2020 (G2) and the Commonwealth Cup in 2021 (G1), the latter through disqualification. Ward pointed her towards the Kentucky Downs Mint Ladies Sprint Stakes (G3T) on September 10, and laid out a plan to connect Stonestreet that would get Campanelle back after competing at the World Championships. Breeders’ Cup 2022 at Keeneland for 5 years- old campaign and another trip across the pond.
Campanelle in front of Platinum Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot
“It’s just the start of the ninth total of her career; it’s going to be really, really hard for her to come back next year if we lightly race her this year,” Ward said. . “She’s only got her first start in the spring (winning the Giant’s Causeway Stakes in Keeneland on April 16. She’s really, really trying hard for us.”
Ward said the pitch was undulating in Kentucky Downs should match Campanelle, who raced at Gulfstream ParkRacecourse Ascot, Deauville, and Keeneland to date.
“Kentucky Downs is a beautiful path for her with it being a very broad (course),” he said. “The rider could pull her back a little bit and let her settle and run faster… I think the culmination is Breeders’ Cup this coming fall should set her up permanently, no. only for this year’s Breeders’ Cup but also for next year.”
Racecourse Saratoga for a 4 year old Uncle Mo ponies owned by Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith and Westerberg by Georg von Opel. Golden Pal won Quick Call (G3T) Betting there last year to kick off a 3-year-old campaign that culminated in Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) scores at Del Mar. Golden Pal also won the 2020 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1T) in Keeneland, where he went undefeated in three Lexington starts.
“I’d love to see him again for a job or two here, to see where he is,” Ward said. “The race is five weeks away, so there’s going to be a lot of distance and distance between race to race, especially here, just a van ride from Saratoga. So we’ll see him. We’ll nominate him for the race, and we’ll see how his training goes, but that’s going to be my plan at first. Of course, I have to. do it with Coolmore, if that suits them. But I think it was a good race and a good track. track, and (the race can) get him back on track for the Breeders’ Cup to come here.”
Ward has not outlined future plans for Love Reigns Wednesday June 15 Queen Mary Stakes (G2), Earthquake Spirit off the board on the 15th of June Windsor Castle Stock, or Ruthin out of the board on June 17.
“All these horses, we’re waiting to see how they are before we plan another race; we’d like to get another piece or two on them and then decide to see them. Where am I going,” he said.
