Wesley Ward

Entries from nine countries appear on course for the eight Group 1 races at Royal Ascot, headlined by the world's three highest-rated sprinters: Nature Strip (Aus) (Nicconi {Aus}) (Australia, 124), Golden Pal (Uncle Mo) (USA, 121) and Home Affairs (Aus) (I Am Invincible {Aus}) (Australia, 120). The Australian pair--who may face Golden Pal in the G1 King's Stand S. or contest the G1 Platinum Jubilee S.--are joined by fellow Australian invader Artorius (Aus) (Flying Artie {Aus}) (Anthony & Sam Freedman), set to run on the final day of the meeting....

Medina Spirit (Protonico) was named the 2021 Florida-bred Horse of the Year in a vote by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association board of directors and announced at the FTBOA Awards Gala held Monday night at the Circle Square Cultural Center in Ocala. Bred in Florida by Gail Rice, who was honored with her second consecutive Needles Award Monday evening as the Association's small breeder of the year, and Medina Spirit's dam Mongolian Changa (Brilliant Speed) was also named the FTBOA Broodmare of the Year in a vote by...

There was history being made this past week and there is history yet to be made. Break out your encyclopedias, your preferred tomes of ancient references, any long-dusty papers from years past, and enjoy the show. Who run the world? Girls. Letruska joined elite, and truly rarified air with her successful defense of her GI Apple Blossom title over another Apple Blossom winner in Ce Ce. Only three other mares have accomplished the feat of multiple wins in Oaklawn's signature event for dirt distaffers dating back to 1973, and their...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 2nd-KEE, $100K, MSW, 3yo/up, 5 1/2fT, 1:32 p.m. Trainer Wesley Ward brings 3-year-old LAWMAKER to Keeneland on Saturday for owners Westerberg Limited and Mrs. John Magnier. The son of Uncle Mo, who sold for $550k at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, is out of the stakes-winning Big Brown mare Red Sashay, herself a half-sister to GSW Shamaal Nibras (First Samurai) who earned over $580k and GSP & SW New Edition (Stormy Atlantic). Lawmaker has been in consistent work in preparation for his debut including...

Ruthin (GB) (Ribchester {Ire}) led home a 'TDN Rising Star' 1-3 finish in Friday's co-featured TVG Limestone S. at Keeneland, as she turned away a bid from her pace-pressing and favored stablemate, fellow 'Rising Star' Her World (Ire) (Caravaggio) and held off a late dive from Derrynane (Quality Road) for a narrow victory. So quickly into stride that jockey John Velazquez reported post-race that he surged back in the irons, Ruthin, a six-length graduate in a course-and-distance maiden 51 weeks ago to become the first winner for her sire, cut...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency WELL-RELATED DUO DEBUT AT KEENELAND 1st-KEE, $80K, Msw, 2yo, 4 1/2f, 1:00 p.m. Wesley Ward season is upon us with early 2-year-old races being carded at Keeneland and he is represented here by a well-bred colt in ALIBI IKE (Munnings). The chestnut is out of GSP Dragic (Broken Vow), who is a daughter of GSW Letgomyecho (Menifee). That mare also produced champion and GI Kentucky Oaks prospect Echo Zulu (Gun Runner), GISW and Coolmore stallion Echo Town (Speightstown), GSW J Boys Echo (Mineshaft) and GSP...

On an action-packed stakes weekend, insights were relatively light, featuring an upset of perennial 2-year-old powerhouse Wesley Ward in the Keeneland meet opener Friday and the unveiling of a $1.25-million purchase on the Aqueduct turf Saturday. Friday's Insights: Laoban Full-Sister Debuts at Keeneland 1st-Keeneland, $60,904, Msw, 4-8, 2yo, 4 1/2f, :53.16, ft, 5 lengths. The annual tradition of Wesley Ward dominating Keeneland's April 2-year-old races early and often was immediately interrupted by emerging California juvenile trainer Luis Mendez--starting his first-ever horse at Keeneland--and Flavien Prat thanks to five-length winner KING...

Wesley Ward has trained his fair share of fast horses in his career, but where it comes to Golden Pal (Uncle Mo), "this is the fastest of the fast." That is some compliment, and few would quibble with him after watching the two-time Breeders' Cup winner treat nine fellow turf sprinters to a spectacular front-running tour-de-force in Saturday's GII Shakertown S. at Keeneland. Sent off the prohibitive 3-5 chalk in his seasonal debut, Golden Pal--who overcame the 13 hole in a field of 14 to win the 2020 GII Juvenile...

'TDN Rising Star' Kimari (Munnings) looks to successfully defend her GI Madison S. title Saturday at Keeneland. Twice second at Royal Ascot, the bay kicked off 2021 with a win in Oaklawn's Spring Fever S. and took the Madison next out. Sent to the sidelines after that effort, she was ambitiously spotted for her return off that seven-month layoff in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint and she could only manage seventh to stablemate Golden Pal (Uncle Mo). Sent through the ring at Fasig-Tipton's November Sale just days later, Kimari...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 1st-KEE, $80K, MSW, 2yo, 4 1/2f, 1:00 p.m. The opening day of the 2022 Keeneland Spring Meet features the first 2-year-old races of the year and the first opportunity for freshman sires to get their second careers off to a winning start. Success as a new stallion is of no concern for Uncle Mo, the sire of first-time starter DOMINICANA. A daughter of the SP Speightstown mare Chattertown, Dominicana is a full-sister to GSW and late sire Laoban. Purchased for $300,000 from the 2021 Keeneland...

Todd Pletcher captured last year's GI Central Bank Ashland S. with the blue-blooded Malathaat (Curlin), who went on to take the GI Kentucky Oaks in her next start. The Hall of Famer looks to repeat in Friday's renewal with another daughter of Curlin named Nest. A dominant debut winner going two turns at Belmont in September, the $350,000 KEESEP buy checked in third in the Tempted S. there next out Nov. 5. Besting next-out Busher S. winner and Saturday's GII Gazelle S. contender Venti Valentine (Firing Line) by a neck...

By all accounts, trainer Wesley Ward is planning on coming out full force when Keeneland opens the doors on its spring meeting Friday, Apr. 8. To that end, four of the stable's stars tuned up for opening weekend stakes engagements Saturday morning in Lexington. Happy Soul (Runhappy) is set to represent Ward in the GI Central Bank Ashland S., her first try around two turns, and the Gayla Rankin-owned filly blitzed six furlongs in a race-like 1:11.20 Saturday morning. Since dropping her career debut at Keeneland last April, Happy Soul...