Ky. Derby runner Like the King moves to grass for Audubon
Lexington, Ky.
Like the King will make a surface change for the second time in as many races, when he takes to the lawn for Churchill Downs’ $150,000 Audubon Stakes, going 1 1/8 miles Saturday.
Trainer Wesley Ward, well known for his prowess with turf horses, said he was feeling good about the Palace Malice colt’s chances.
“He’s doing everything right so far on the grass,” Ward told Horse Racing Nation. “I’m looking forward to it.”
Like the King will break from post 2 with Chris Landeros in the irons. He will face a field of seven others, including Palazzi, a stakes winner in the Texas Turf Mile in January at Sam Houston.
Running for trainer Brendan Walsh, Cave Hill has also won a stakes race this year, albeit on synthetic in the March 27 Rushaway at Turfway Park.
That track was the location for Like the King’s last win as well. He crossed the Tapeta to take the victory in the Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) and earn his spot in the Kentucky Derby. On the dirt in that race, he finished in 12th place.
“I had a real good chance in my mind that he was a come from behind horse, and if everything fell apart up front, we were going to be there,” Ward said of the Derby. “Nothing fell apart, and we weren’t there.”
Still, Ward was not overly displeased with the Derby showing.
“I was happy with the trip, happy with the ride,” Ward said. “I just don’t think we were good enough. It was a good experience to get in there.”
As for Saturday’s race, Ward said he hopes to employ a strategy similar to his plan for the Kentucky Derby.
“Going to sit back and come running,” he said. “Hopefully he jumps up to what I thought.”
The Audubon is carded as Race 5 at Churchill. Post time is scheduled for Saturday at 2:45 p.m. EDT.