Four Wheel Drive leads off Ward's Churchill Downs charges

Trainer Wesley Ward would have liked to get his top horses started back last month at Keeneland, where the meet was scrapped as fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic.

So at the start of business May 16 at Churchill Downs, Ward will have a strong presence, including two stakes winners dropping into allowance races.

In a phone conversation this week, Ward said 3-year-old filly Karak, the last out winner of Turfway Park’s Cincinnati Trophy Stakes, will go in an allowance turf sprint on opening day. Then on May 17, he’ll have unbeaten Four Wheel Drive back to the races in another 5 1/2-furlong allowance event over the lawn.

By American Pharoah, Breeze Easy LLC’s Four Wheel Drive is 3-fo-3, all in stakes as last year’s campaign culminated with a gate-to-wire score in  the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint.

“We’ll assess this race and go from there,” Ward said of the return, with a trip to Royal Ascot an option this summer.

Ward has eyed progress overseas, as he’s won 10 races at the meeting, more than any of his American peers. For now, Royal Ascot is on schedule to run June 16-20 without fans on site.

“We’ll see how that pans out, whether they’ll keep the same dates or push it back,” Ward said.

That could determine where Kimari runs next. The 3-year-old Munnings Filly registered an authoritative victory when switched to the dirt for Oaklawn Park’s April 4 Purple Martin Stakes.

Should Royal Ascot run on time, the June 19 Commonwealth Cup, a six-furlong feature against the boys, is the first option. If Kimari ends up spending more time in the U.S., Churchill’s June 6 Dogwood (G3) is Ward’s Plan B.

In the meantime, Ward said Maven, who last year became American Pharoah’s first U.S. winner and first stakes winner, period, is “coming out shortly as well.”

Churchill Downs’ first condition book also includes three maiden special weight events for 2-year-olds, including a June 5 race on the grass.

“I’ll try to be in nearly every 2-year-old race,” Ward said. “You’ll see them as they unfold. I’ve got some nice ones. We’ll see how they do in the afternoon as opposed to the morning.”