Keeneland: Ward's Bledsoe wins 1st juvenile race of 2023

Lexington, Ky.

After the first race of Keeneland’s spring meet, Wesley Ward holds the distinction of leading breeder, owner and trainer for racing’s 2-year-old crop.

Bledsoe backed up 4-5 favoritism Friday in the first juvenile race of 2023, scoring by 1 1/2 lengths under jockey Joel Rosario. He covered 4 1/2 furlongs in 53.21 seconds, splitting the leading duo of Alexandra’s Song and Callin My Name to take command into the stretch.

Ward bred, owns and trains Bledsoe, an Iqbaal gelding who is out of the Congaree mare Shrinking Violet. The winner returned $3.56 on a $2 bet.

“Feeling good,” the Keeneland-based Ward said. “I own the stallion and the mare and he was bred right across the street over there, that’s where my tobacco barn is with the stallion, Iqbaal.

“The mare has been a sweetheart. We bought her for $4,000 and she made 500. To have her have one that wins here opening day, there’s nothing better.”

Ward sent Bledsoe to Palm Beach Downs last October to begin preparations for his racing career. He then moved to Payson Park Training Center and came back to Kentucky in December.

“They’re well-schooled,” Ward said. “They don’t do any workouts, just kind of galloping them and letting them see different places.

“Mentally, they come around a lot quicker, kind of like a child. If he goes to different places instead of staying in one place all the time, you kind of learn things. It’s the same with these 2-year-olds.”

Bledsoe recorded his first breeze Feb. 9 at Turfway Park. He continued training in Northern Kentucky until moving to Keeneland for his last two works leading up his debut.

“As we get closer to Keeneland, they kind of separate themselves,” Ward said. “This guy here, he did everything mentally right as well as physically. He brought us here and we’re in the winner’s circle at Keeneland on opening day. All smiles.”

Ward has a long history of success with 2-year-olds, including four wins in Breeders’ Cup juvenile events. He has won 12 races at Royal Ascot and points his most precocious juvenile runners to the June meet.

Bledsoe might get a head start on preparations for Royal Ascot. Ward said he plans to send the Keeneland winner across the Atlantic to the barn of trainer Ollie Sangster, one of his former assistants.

“There’s a race at Ascot that we’re going to look at the first week of May,” Ward said. “I called Ollie and said, ‘Let’s see how he does today.’ The mare was just all turf and the sire, what limited progeny he has have been grass.

“So we’re looking forward to getting him over there and getting him over there early as well and seeing what he can do on the grass.”