Tag: Wesley Ward

Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint winner Twilight Gleaming captured her last race -- the Mamzelle Stakes at Churchill Downs -- at night. She is a strong favorite to win Friday's Coronation Cup at Saratoga. (Image: Coady Photography)

Twilight Gleaming Casts a Bright Light on Her Coronation Cup Rivals

Twilight Gleaming owns victories on four different tracks in two countries and two continents, none of the tracks happening to be Saratoga. Now, the reigning Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint champion will attempt to rectify that oversight in Friday’s Coronation Cup. The $150K Coronation Cup sends its 3-year-old fillies 5 […]

Naval Crown won a nail-biting Platinum Jubilee Stakes at 33/1. The victory helped clinch Godolphin the Royal Ascot owner title. (Image: Godophin)

Moore, O’Brien, Godolphin Capture Royal Ascot Titles, Ward Blanked

Three very familiar names: Ryan Moore, Aidan O’Brien and Godolphin, wrapped up their respective titles as Royal Ascot wrapped up its 2022 meet Saturday. Godolphin’s successful defense of its owner title came after the Saudi monolith tied Coolmore with five wins each. But Godolphin notched three runners-up to Coolmore’s one. […]

Campanelle's lone 2022 race was this easy victory in the Giant's Causeway at Keeneland. Saturday's Platinum Jubilee at Royal Ascot will be considerably more difficult. (Image: Keeneland/Coady Photography)

Ward, Ortiz Throw Their Final Royal Ascot Dice With Campanelle

Between a lack of stable success and a suspension to Irad Ortiz Jr., this has not been the greatest of weeks for Ortiz and trainer Wesley Ward at Royal Ascot. But all it takes is Campanelle winning her third consecutive Royal Ascot meet race to flip the plot. That comes […]

Stradivarius and Frankie Dettori are trying to put a bow on his Royal Ascot success in Thursday's Group 1 Gold Cup. The standout stayer owns three victories in the event. (Image: Mathea Kelley)

Stradivarius Ready to Play a Closing Note at Royal Ascot’s Gold Cup

If we’re going to put a label on Stradivarius, the obvious one would be “crafty veteran.” It’s the perfect description for an 8-year-old staying legend who’s on the cusp of furthering his legacy. The three-time defending champion of the Gold Cup, Royal Ascot’s marquee race, will attempt to join Yeats […]

Australian standout Nature Strip proved too good for everyone, including Golden Pal, in Tuesday's Group 1 King's Stand at Royal Ascot. (Image: Megan Ridgwell Photo)

Nature Strip Makes Winning Look Natural in Royal Ascot’s King’s Stand

Nature Strip answered one question on Tuesday: who’s the best turf sprinter in the world. Now, the star Australian gelding has a history question to answer: will he run again Saturday in the Platinum Jubilee Stakes, on Royal Ascot’s final day? After taking apart Tuesday’s Group 1 King’s Stand by […]

Golden Pal tuned up for his King's Stand duel with Australia's Nature Strip with this romp in April's Grade 3 Shakertown at Keeneland. He and Nature Strip headline Day 1 at Royal Ascot. (Image: Keeneland/Coady Photography)

It’s US vs. Australia in a Royal Ascot Rumble

They’re not wasting any time in giving the well-heeled racing fans at Royal Ascot the meet’s main attraction. On Tuesday’s first day of the 2022 Royal Ascot meet, those fans get Golden Pal vs. Nature Strip in the Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes. Only the top North American turf sprinter […]

Champion 3-Year-Old Malathaat and John Velazquez made her 2022 debut with this resounding victory in the Grade 3 Doubledogdare at Keeneland. That was one of the highlights of a record Spring Meet at Keeneland. (Image: Keeneland/Coady Photography)

Keeneland Brings Home Record Spring Meet Handle Across the Board

Keeneland enjoyed its third consecutive year of record Spring Meet handle, bringing in an all-sources handle of $219,284,979 for its just-concluded Spring Meet. That handle was the largest total in the Kentucky track’s history. The more than $219 million from the 15-day meet that ended Friday represented a 33.16% increase […]

Coming out of her victory in the Giant's Causeway Stakes earlier this month, Wesley Ward's Campanelle is one of the top American horses set to invade Royal Ascot in June. (Image: Keeneland/Coady Photography)

Ward’s Decorated Duo Lead an American Invasion of Royal Ascot

Wesley Ward’s decorated duo of Golden Pal and Campanelle headline a 16-horse American contingent of nominees for this year’s Royal Ascot Group 1 races. A customary presence at the mid-June meet, Ward is one of four American trainers nominating horses to one of the eight Group 1 races. Graham Motion, […]

Golden Pal and Irad Ortiz Jr. won their sixth race in seven starts Saturday, blowing away the Grade 2 Shakertown by nearly five lengths. The two-time Breeders' Cup champion will run next at Royal Ascot in June. (Image: Keeneland/Coady)

Golden Pal Blazes His Way Past Rivals, Will Return to Royal Ascot

Golden Pal first broke into the public conscience nearly two years ago when he finished second in the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes at a near-empty Royal Ascot. You could be forgiven for not noticing, considering not even Queen Elizabeth II made a Royal Ascot appearance. You’ll probably notice when Golden […]

Golden Pal, seen here winning his second Breeders' Cup title in as many years, is one of Wesley Ward's top hopes for a stakes title on Keeneland's opening weekend. (Image: Coolmore Stud)

Wesley Ward Rides Herd Over Another Strong Keeneland Crop

Keeneland’s 15-day Spring Meet begins on Friday, offering a loaded weekend featuring 10 stakes worth $4.55 million. But this being Keeneland in the spring, many eyes are focused on just one stable. That would be Wesley Ward’s, he of the three consecutive Keeneland Spring Meet training titles. Ward comes into […]

Happy Soul made many many folks happy with this 11 1/2-length dissection of the Astoria Stakes last June. The Wesley Ward trainee comes in as the 9/5 favorite for Saturday's Dixie Belle Stakes at Oaklawn Park. (Image; Coglianese Photo/Chelsea Durand)

Ward is Whistling Dixie With Latest Sprint Star Happy Soul

You don’t usually see Wesley Ward holding court at Oaklawn Park. But the renowned trainer of younger horse carries an open secret that he hopes Happy Soul can broadcast to horseracing fans Saturday in the Listed Dixie Belle Stakes. That secret? Yes, Ward usually holds court at Keeneland or Royal […]

Golden Pal makes his 3-year-old debut on Saratoga's opening day Thursday. The standout sprinter is the 1/2 morning-line favorite in the Grade 3 Quick Call. (Image: Coolmore)

Saratoga’s 2021 Season Opens with Fans, Golden Pal’s Return

The long-anticipated 2021 Saratoga Meet opens Thursday, headlined by a familiar name — Golden Pal — making his seasonal debut. The standout sophomore sprinter anchors a deep field of 3-year-olds in the Grade 3 Quick Call. That 5 ½-furlong sprint on the Mellon Turf Course is one of two stakes […]

Campanelle (left) and Dragon Symbol needed a photo finish and stewards' inquiry to decide the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot. Campanelle prevailed after Dragon Symbol was cited for interference. (Image: Rex Features)

Royal Theater at Royal Ascot: Ward, Campanelle Win Commonwealth Cup

Having stewards elevate Campanelle to victory was a novel way for trainer Wesley Ward to win his 12th Royal Ascot race. But after the American trainer endured a less-than-regal slog at Royal Ascot this week, Ward was not throwing this Group 1 Commonwealth Cup victory back. Off as the 5/1 […]

Stradivarius can tie Yeats' record with his fourth consecutive Gold Cup victory Thursday at Royal Ascot. (Image: britishchampionsseries.com)

Stradivarius Seeks to Write His Name in the Royal Ascot Record Book

Can Stradivarius, a horse named after a musical instrument, equal Yeats, a horse named after a poet? That next landmark awaits the 7-year-old horse as Thursday’s Day 3 storyline at Royal Ascot. That landmark would be a fourth consecutive Gold Cup title, which would tie Stradivarius with Yeats. He won […]

Lord North took command of last year's Prince of Wales's Stakes. Yet he's not the favorite for Wednesday's lone Group 1 race at Royal Ascot. (Image: Racenews)

Can Defending Champion Lord it Over Love in Prince of Wales’s Stakes?

The Prince of Wales’s Stakes gives you defending champion Lord North with leading jockey Frankie Dettori and standout trainer John Gosden getting an assist from his son, Thady. What could possibly go wrong for the 5-year-old gelding in Royal Ascot’s Day 2 marquee race? Well, that’s what Love’s got to […]

Order of Australia sent disorder into the betting markets when he won last year's Breeders' Cup Mile at 73/1. He is expected to meet favorite Palace Pier in the Queen Anne Stakes. A berth in the Breeders' Cup Mile at Del Mar awaits the winner. (Image: Breeders' Cup/Eclipse Sportswire)

Breeders’ Cup Crowns Royal Ascot With Four Challenge Series Races

For the fourth consecutive year, Royal Ascot’s 2021 meet not only features the usual pomp and pageantry, but four tickets to the 2021 Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar. The prestigious meet, which begins Tuesday and runs through Saturday, will play host to the season’s first four Breeders’ Cup “Win and […]

After winning her Royal Ascot debut last year, Campanelle returns for bigger game: the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup. She is one of 11 American horses entered in the prestigious meet, which begins next Tuesday. (Image: Focusonracing)

As Usual, Ward Leads the American Contingent Into Royal Ascot

Royal Ascot’s 11-horse American invasion hit the Newmarket stables on Wednesday, six days before the five-day meet opens next Tuesday. Nine of those horses come from Wesley Ward’s barn, which shouldn’t be surprising since Ward is the usual American invader to Ascot’s premier meet. Dating to his first victory in […]