Prospect Watch: 6 debuting from the Wesley Ward barn
The final week of the Keeneland spring meet brings a few more of the early-season juvenile maiden special weights that the Kentucky track is famous for hosting.
Trainer Wesley Ward tends to win these races in bunches, but his 2-year-olds have gone only 1-for-6 at the current meet. That can change on Thursday and Friday when Ward saddles half a dozen promising youngsters in a trio of maiden special weights on dirt and turf. It’s entirely possible one or more of Ward’s starters will go on to compete at the prestigious Royal Ascot meeting in England in April.
Let’s explore the credentials of the Ward trainees.
Thursday
Keeneland Race 1: Maiden special weight (4 1/2 furlongs, 1:00 p.m. EDT)
No. 5 Ashcroft
Age: 2
Pedigree: Munnings–Speightstown, by Sky Willow
Purchase price: N/A
Trainer: Wesley Ward
A son of classy sprinter/miler and successful sire Munnings, Ashcroft has turned in half a dozen timed workouts at Turfway Park and Keeneland. On April 6, he breezed three furlongs at Turfway in a bullet 36 seconds, and last Saturday he clocked the same distance in 37 seconds from the Keeneland starting gate.
Three-time Eclipse Award-winning jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. is named to ride Ashcroft, and Munnings sires an excellent 16 percent winners from first-time starters, so all signs suggest Ashcroft can factor on debut.
No. 7 No Nay Hudson
Age: 2
Pedigree: No Nay Never–Raw Silk, by Malibu Moon
Purchase price: $190,000
Trainer: Wesley Ward
A son of Ward’s early-maturing juvenile Grade 1 winner No Nay Never (who won his debut at Keeneland), No Nay Hudson has shown serious speed during morning training. He already has fired off a couple of bullet three-furlong breezes at Keeneland, including one from the starting gate in 35.6 seconds on April 14.
Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez will guide No Nay Hudson, who was produced by Sands Point (G2) winner Raw Silk. It’s interesting to see No Nay Hudson debuting on dirt; his pedigree is geared toward success on grass. Even if he handles dirt on Thursday, it wouldn’t be surprising to see No Nay Hudson try turf down the road–perhaps even at Royal Ascot.
Keeneland Race 2: Maiden special weight (5 1/2 furlongs on turf, 1:32 p.m.)
No. 10 Wico
Age: 2
Pedigree: No Nay Never–Mundus Novus, by Unbridled’s Song
Purchase price: $440,000
Trainer: Wesley Ward
It’s easy to see why Wico sold for a hefty $440,000 as a yearling. He’s a son of the above-mentioned Grade 1 winner No Nay Never out of Mundus Novus, whose previous foals include the turf stakes winners Consort and Her World.
Both Consort and Her World won their debuts as juveniles, and Wico certainly appears capable of doing the same. He has been training fast (clocking three furlongs in a bullet 35.6 seconds from the Keeneland starting gate two weeks ago), and Irad Ortiz is named to ride, so don’t be surprised if Wico uses this race as a springboard to Royal Ascot.
No. 11 Uncle Headley
Age: 2
Pedigree: Oscar Performance–Our Passion, by Elusive Quality
Purchase price: N/A
Trainer: Wesley Ward
Hailing from the first crop of foals sired by four-time Grade 1 winner Oscar Performance, Uncle Headley is bred to shine on grass. Oscar Performance won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at age 2 before proceeding to win top-level prizes at ages 3 and 4, and dam Our Passion is a daughter of Elusive Quality, who set a world record racing one mile on turf.
Uncle Headley has turned in half a dozen timed workouts in preparation for his debut, including three furlongs from the Keeneland starting gate in 36.4 seconds last Saturday. John Velazquez has the mount on the chestnut gelding, who is trained and owned by Ward.
Friday
Keeneland Race 2: Maiden special weight (5 1/2 furlongs on turf, 1:01 p.m.)
No. 1 Love Reigns
Age: 2
Pedigree: U S Navy Flag–Humble And Proud, by Pivotal
Purchase price: $187,123
Trainer: Wesley Ward
There’s a lot to like about the pedigree of Love Reigns. She’s among the first foals sired by U S Navy Flag, a multiple Group 1-winning juvenile sprinter who matured to win the Group 1 July Cup against older horses at age 3. Just as significantly, Love Reigns was produced by Humble And Proud, previously the dam of Sword Dancer (G1) winner Glorious Empire.
Love Reigns has trained on turf, breezing three furlongs at Payson Park in 38.4 seconds, and she followed up with a quick half-mile over the Keeneland main track in 35.4 seconds from the starting gate on April 13. Irad Ortiz has the mount, cementing Love Reigns as an exciting prospect.
No. 12 Rivka
Age: 2
Pedigree: No Nay Never–Rubina, by Invincible Spirit
Purchase price: N/A
Trainer: Wesley Ward
The third and final No Nay Never runner we’re highlighting this week is Rivka, whose dam – Rubina – has previously foaled Rubilinda, a two-time turf stakes winner over distances from six furlongs to one mile.
There’s plenty of class in Rivka’s pedigree, and she’s clocked quick workouts at Turfway Park and Keeneland, most notably breezing three furlongs in 35.2 seconds over the Turfway Tapeta. John Velazquez has the mount, so it’s easy to see why Rivka is the 5-2 morning line favorite to win her debut.