By Alan Carasso
Trainer Wesley Ward was unable to secure a deal with the remaining slot-holders for the A$13-million The Everest in Sydney in October, meaning that GSW and G1 Diamond Jubilee S. third placegetter Bound For Nowhere (The Factor) will remain in Kentucky for the balance of the season, with the Breeders' Cup the long-term goal.
“No deal,” Ward confirmed. “We had him in quarantine trying to secure a spot. It was all working out great. When I came back [from Royal Ascot], we put him in Ashford in a beautiful spot and we had a couple of weeks to try to find something. But [the slot-holders] didn't see the little bit of a break as a positive, they seemed to have viewed it as a negative. James Ross from the ATC [Australian Turf Club, one of two remaining slot-holders] worked hard to try to sell it, but we're staying home. It didn't materialize and I firmly believe that everything happens for a reason.”
Bound For Nowhere, winner of the GIII Shakertown S. earlier this season, is back in the Ward shedrow at Keeneland and will build up to a return to the races come September. Australia's loss could be Kentucky Downs's gain.
“He's trained beautiful the last couple of days and I'm really looking forward to the next couple of starts he's got,” Ward said. “I'll breeze him in about a week's time and we'll look at either the [$750,000] Tourist Mile [Sept. 1] or the [$500,000 Kentucky Downs Turf] Sprint [Sept. 8] and then on to either the [GI] Shadwell Mile or I might stick to sprinting. With Lady Aurelia (Scat Daddy) retired, he moves up into the number one spot for sprinters.”
Though his Breeders' Cup destination–Mile or Turf Sprint–will hinge on his upcoming performances, Ward said that would be the end of the line for 2018.
“Win, lose or draw, he'll do exactly what he did last year. He'll get the winter off and I'll try to have a 5-year-old campaign with him,” the conditioner said. “He's very lightly raced, I own him and so I can call the shots with him. I'll start him back in the spring again, hopefully he has a big Keeneland and we'll decide if he's still worthy or good enough to go back to Ascot again. He's one guy I think can do it.”
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