Wesley Ward
The first major yearling sale of the autumn in Britain or Ireland, the Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale provided entertainment from the beginning to the end, but most importantly, boasted impressive figures. Brian Sheerin was in attendance and discusses the major talking points from the sale. Figures on the up The team at Goffs UK could hardly have wished for a better start to the Premier Yearling Sale. The day one figures were off the charts. Of the 218 lots offered on Tuesday, 199 were sold, representing a clearance rate...
The name Sangster has often been seen among the ranks of owners and breeders, and from later this year it will also feature on a training licence, with Ollie Sangster set to train from his family's historic estate of Manton. The 25-year-old of course has a background steeped in racing: his grandfather was the legendary Robert Sangster, known with his friends and associates MV O'Brien and John Magnier as 'The Brethren', while his father Ben is also a breeder of note, with Luxembourg (Ire) and Changingoftheguard (Ire) being among his...
6th-SAR, $105K, Msw, 2yo, f, 6 1/2f, 3:55 p.m. ET RARIFY (Justify), a half-sister to champion sprinter Runhappy (Super Saver), looks to go one better at second asking here. The $750,000 KEESEP graduate set the pace and reported home second-best as the even-money favorite on debut for Wesley Ward at Saratoga July 24. Godolphin homebred Spelterini (Bernardini) also completed the exacta on debut at the Spa July 14 (Second Chances series), rallying smartly to finish a length ahead of next-out blowout winner Chocolate Gelato (Practical Joke). The field also includes...
Stonestreet Stables' Love Reigns (Ire) (U S Navy Flag) breezed a half-mile in :48.66 seconds Friday over the Oklahoma training turf in preparation for the 5 1/2-furlong Bolton Landing S. Aug. 21 at Saratoga. Trained by Wesley Ward graduated by 9 3/4-lengths in her April debut sprinting 5 1/2-furlongs over the Keeneland turf ahead of a close fourth last out in the G2 Queen Mary S. June 15 at Royal Ascot. Love Reigns lost some time after the Queen Mary due to illness but has now breezed four times over...
Poppy Flower took three tries to break her maiden at Belmont last Spring before making the jump into stakes company, posting on-the-board efforts in Saratoga's Bolton Landing S. behind future GISW Chi Town Lady (Verrazano) and the Ainsworth S. in the fall before ending her year with a fifth in the GIII Futurity S. for Wesley Ward. After a seven-month layoff, Poppy Flower returned for new trainer Bill Mott to capture the Stormy Blues S. at Laurel June 19 and check in just a half-length short behind Empress Tigress in...
SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY - Before the conversation began rolling, trainer Wesley Ward brought his visitors to Golden Pal (Uncle Mo)'s stall Saturday morning and pointed to the 4-year-old, who was sprawled on his side on the wood chips-covered floor. Ward chuckled. "Every day at this time he takes a nap," Ward said. Some 10 hours after the two-time Breeders' Cup winner won the GIII Troy S. at Saratoga Race Course, his first start after a rare clunker in the G1 King's Stand S. at Royal Ascot in June, Golden Pal...
The 'Graveyard of Favorites' claimed another victim Saturday at Saratoga, as Joel Rosario guided Castleton Lyons' Chi Town Lady (Verrazano) to a last-to-first 17-1 upset of overwhelming favorite Matareya (Pioneerof the Nile) in the GI Longines Test S. at the Spa. Debuting with a three-length score last April at Keeneland, the chestnut went unseen for over four months, but returned with an impressive conquest of the Bolton Landing S. on turf. That had been her last trip to the winner's circle, however, as she concluded her juvenile campaign with a...
The fleet-footed Golden Pal (Uncle Mo) rebounded from a disappointing effort at Royal Ascot with a gritty victory in Saratoga's GIII Troy S. Friday. Away in good order, the 1-5 favorite stalked from a two-wide third as True Valour (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) clicked off a :21.93 opening quarter. Moving up to draw alongside the top two turning for home, Golden Pal locked horns with True Valour as their temporary threat Carotari (Artie Schiller) quickly found the waters too deep and backed out of it. Those two battled stride-for-stride to the...
SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY - Trainer Wesley Ward turned to football to explain why Golden Pal (Uncle Mo) has turned out to be what he has said is the best horse he has handled during his 32-year career. "Look at all the special running backs in history," Ward said. "What makes them so special? They are naturally blessed with talent is what it comes down to. They are extremely fast and a lot of them have the mind for it as well. He's got both." Nearly two months after a disappointing...
'TDN Rising Star' Kimari (Munnings) earned her first graded win of the season Wednesday when rallying to victory in Saratoga's GII Honorable Miss H. The 3-1 third choice in a four-horse field, the bay broke a hair slow from the outside post, though not as slow as second choice Frank's Rockette (Into Mischief) in the one-hole. Kimari sat off the fence in third with Frank's Rockette off her inside flank as favored Bella Sofia (Awesome Patriot) and 8-1 outsider Amadevil (Dominus) knocked heads on the front end. Amadevil cruised clear...
From State Of Rest (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) silencing his doubters once again to Irad Ortiz's week going from bad to worse, there was plenty to digest from day two at Royal Ascot. Brian Sheerin fleshed out the main talking points from another thrilling day's action. Eldar Eldarov Owner Is Living The Dream HH Shaikh Khalid, owner of Eldar Eldarov (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), told ITV Racing that his dream in racing is to find a horse good enough to stand as a stallion. Eldar Eldarov could well be up to fulfilling...
The GII Wonder Again S., which grants a spot in the GI Belmont Oaks starting gate to the top three finishers, kicks off a race week loaded with stakes action Thursday in what NYRA refers to as the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival. Chad Brown has saddled the winners of three of the eight renewals of this event and it is of no surprise that he sends out the race favorite again this year in Klaravich Stables' two-time stakes winner Consumer Spending (More Than Ready). She is a deserving favorite after...