Wesley Ward

Wesley Ward has been the greatest international supporter of Royal Ascot in recent years and the American trainer has dispatched a team of seven runners in a bid to extend his record at the meeting of 12 wins to date. The septet includes G1 Commonwealth Cup contender Outfielder (Speightstown), an imposing individual who was fourth in last season's G1 Prix Morny and has picked up a pair of black-type wins at Turfway Park and Churchill Downs this year. Outfielder and Ez Tin, the Golden Pal filly who runs in the...

EZ TINA (f, 2, Golden Pal-Risk Model, by Into Mischief), the priciest of dual Breeders' Cup winner Golden Pal (by Uncle Mo)'s first yearlings last year, flaunted her speed on debut Sunday at Woodbine. Favored at 6-5, she went straight to the front out of the gate, set an uncontested first quarter fraction of :23.23, did the same through a :46.22 half as Pietro Moran sat chilly, and hustled home with minimal encouragement over the all-weather surface by 4 3/4 lengths in :58.01 for the five furlongs while never threatened....

We skipped last week as America focused on the Kentucky Derby, thus this slightly expanded list covering the last two weeks. 9) LOVELY EMMA, KEE, 4-22, Allowance, 5 1/2fT VIDEO Beyer Speed Figure-95 (f, 4, Twirling Candy--Salsa Diavola, by Mineshaft) O-C R K Stable. B-Nursery Place, Donaldson, Broadbent. T-Peter Eurton. J-Jose Ortiz. The Searing family's $600,000 yearling purchase appears ready to tackle stakes company now. This was her third consecutive win and third straight career-best Beyer. 8) SHOOT IT TRUE, CD, 5-1, GII Unbridled Sidney Stakes, 5fT VIDEO Beyer Speed...

The likelihood that Waggley would take the lion's share of the money at the windows in her stakes debut was never really in question. However, the fact that by post time she would only have to face two other competitors to get into the winner's circle almost certainly was. Breaking last and knocked into American Pope by a sharply-crossing over Super Saiyajin, Waggley found herself just behind the latter through an opening quarter mile in :23.26. Pulling her way to the fore approaching the final turn, the errant 1-9 favorite...

Ruiva, a debuting homebred for Three Chimneys Farm, picked up a never-in-doubt win over a sloppy Churchill Downs track Wednesday. Catching a flyer from the outside of the gate, the 2-1 second choice had a clear advantage by the time most of the field was just getting into stride. Only Barometric (Frosted) made an attempt to run with her and that pair quickly opened up several lengths by the time Ruiva hit the far turn. Barometric made one last run at her nearing the furlong pole but this Wesley Ward-trainee...

Coolmore's freshman sire Corniche (by Quality Road) picked up his second winner and first 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Tuesday when his daughter Fanshell Beach ran down the well-backed War Ready (Jackie's Warrior) at Churchill Downs, graduating by open lengths in this 4 1/2-furlong maiden special weight event. Drawn widest of the six, the 7-5 second choice missed a clean jump and had to work to keep up with even-money favorite War Ready who shot out to the early advantage into the far turn. That pair quickly opened up...

In most situations, discussion is always best, but some days you just don't feel like hearing second opinions. Arbiter (Charlatan) didn't let anyone get a word in edge wise, and coasted home to a sublime victory in the Woodstock Stakes at Woodbine. Coming into the race with a maiden score on the turf and a win against optional claimers over the synthetic at Churchill Downs Nov. 30--where he set a new course record--and Turfway Park Dec. 17, respectively, he'd last been seen kicking off his 2026 campaign Mar. 21 in...

   In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victory of Sandtrap at Aqueduct. Lope De Vega Fillies Capture Aqueduct Affairs Named a TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard in her Salisbury debut for Ralph Beckett in September of 2024, Sandtrap (Lope De Vega) made her American bow a winning one at Aqueduct on April 18 (video). Trained by Chad Brown, the daughter of Zindaya (More Than Ready) races for Bridlewood Farm. Bred by...

The 2026 Keeneland Spring Meet concluded Friday with jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr., trainer Brad Cox and owner Godolphin topping their respective categories. Ortiz, Jr. defended his Fall Meet title from 2025 with 22 wins, earning five more than Flavien Prat (17). Luis Saez and Jose Ortiz tied for third with 15 apiece. Ortiz, Jr.'s biggest wins of the meet came with a pair of Grade I's in the Toyota Blue Grass and the Resolute Racing Madison Stakes. Brad Cox secured his ninth training title, recording 17 wins from 43 starts....

[tdn-newsletter-embed]Three Chimneys Farm's GUN RANGE (c, 3, Gun Runner--Bella Carina, by War Front) went up to the leading duo three abreast at the midstretch marker and kicked home to score by five convincing lengths, giving trainer Wesley Ward his 300th training victory at Keeneland. He is just the third to accomplish that particular feat, joining Bill Mott and Rusty Arnold. "This is such a special place," Ward told FanDuel TV. "When I came here 19 years ago, I knew this was a place for me. It's such a wonderful, wonderful...

It's not every day that the GI Toyota Blue Grass winner reinvents himself as a marathon turf specialist, but Burnham Square (Liam's Map) has done just that in the GII Elkhorn Stakes at Keeneland Saturday afternoon. Last year's victor of the aforementioned Kentucky Derby prep race, the Ian Wilkes trainee performed well enough over the main track after running sixth in the GI Kentucky Derby, but had not returned to the winner's enclosure until this race. He hit the board in the GIII Matt Winn Stakes across town at Churchill,...

10th-KEE, $110k, Msw, 3yo, f, 5 1/2fT, 5:48 p.m. ET A $300,000 Keeneland September yearling acquisition, FOOL'S ADVENTURE (Wootton Bassett {GB}) debuts in the colors of Mrs. Fitri Hay for trainer Wesley Ward. The Apr. 9 foal is the first to make the races out of Happy Like a Fool (Distorted Humor), who graduated on her career debut locally for Ward and the Coolmore connections and followed up with a runner-up effort in the G2 Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot. Victorious in the GIII Matron Stakes back on the...