Ward Runners Heating Up
by J.M. Severni
The Wesley Ward barn is beginning to rev up for a big spring and summer season this year, starting with Luck of the Kitten (Kitten’s Joy) in Wednesday’s rescheduled GIII Transylvania S. at Keeneland. The Ramsey homebred took Santa Anita’s Zuma Beach S. before finishing second to stabelmate Hootenanny (Quality Road) in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. That duo hit the Keeneland turf course together Sunday morning to work in company, going five panels in 1:06.60 (3/4).
“Luck of the Kitten went great, he cruised right around there ready for Wednesday,” Ward noted.
The colt will be making his first start off a five-month layoff, and the conditioner believes the time off will do Luck of the Kitten good.
“I think he’s going to love it,” Ward said of returning to the races. “He was freshened up and over the winter we’ve been on target. Mr. Ramsey has a goal where he wants to win a race at Royal Ascot, so we were looking at the [G1] St James’s Palace [S. June 16]. Being one of the most prestigious races in England, I want to give Mr. Ramsey every chance we could to get him to that point. We got backed up a little bit with opening day being taken off the course [due to rain], so we’re forced into being a little off schedule, but the horse is doing fantastic and we’re looking for a big effort.”
Ward was also pleased with Hootenanny’s work Sunday morning.
“He worked very good, he was charging along,” Ward said of the Coolmore colorbearer. “We have him nominated to the [G1 2000] Guineas [at Newmarket], but we’re waiting to hear from Coolmore.
They have the favorite in the race right now [Gleneagles (Galileo {Ire})], but we’ll see how it shakes out in the next few weeks.”
GI Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint winner Judy the Beauty (Ghostzapper) is also working towards a seasonal debut. She’s been breezing over the Keeneland turf course, and her work Tuesday will help Ward clarify where to send the mare next.
“She’s probably going to go in the [GI] Humana Distaff [on the Churchill Downs main track May 2]. She’s been training really forward right now–she’s been smoking right around there in the mornings. She really doesn’t have a great affinity for the grass, although she’s won over it [at Chantilly in 2011]. She’s a big, heavy mare and I like to work her on the grass because it keeps her pretty sound. But for some reason, this year she’s been really getting a hold of it and working lights out, which is surprising. I’m going to decide whether we’re going to keep her on the turf at Keeneland or take her over to Churchill and breeze her there for her last couple of works before the Distaff. Mike Smith is in town, so he’s going to be aboard her and we’re going to get his opinion as well.”
Ten Broeck Farm’s Sunset Glow (Exchange Rate) came out of her third-place effort in Sunday’s GIII Appalachian S. in good order, the conditioner noted. The GI Del Mar Debutante S. winner was second to Lady Eli (Divine Park) in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf to cap off her juvenile season and finished behind that foe again Sunday.
“I knew we were kind of up against it taking on Lady Eli, who has been training down in Florida,” Ward explained. “They don’t miss many days down there. We missed a lot of days over the course of the winter with our horses. I probably would have been a lot better suited to take her on had I had her in Florida, or even if we had a little bit easier of a winter in Kentucky, but I decided to go with just a little bit of a short horse where we could use this as a stepping stone. And I knew with that turf course that she’d come out of the race as good as she went in. Everything went our way as far as nice, soft fractions. Unfortunately, that filly was right on us and tracking us. We had every chance to beat her, but Lady Eli is just a tremendous filly. I think we’re going to be in good shape for the spring/summer. I plan on taking her to Europe as well, but we’ll have to map out a course after I talk to the owner.”
Ward, who has a history of success with young 2-year-olds at Keeneland, took home the first juvenile race of the meet with Bruised Orange (City Zip). He has since finished runner-up in two more juvenile races. The conditioner attributes his success to many hours spent with the horses as yearlings and throughout their early training.
“It’s just a lot of planning and preparation,” he said. “We start in October where I really sort through them and see which ones are the best of the lot and which ones need more time. I can really get a good handle and a good feel myself instead of relying on other people to break and train them.”
Ward offered that he has a few exciting prospects in the barn set for their debut.
“I’ve got a few [good ones] coming up,” he said. “Some of the better ones are getting unveiled shortly, so we’ll see how it comes out.”
Ward will send out 2-year-old firsters Back At the Ranch (Artie Schiller) for Michael Dubb and Gainesway’s Assoulin (Candy Ride {Arg}) in the second race on Wednesday’s card at Keeneland.