Lady Aurelia (Scat Daddy), who just got nipped on the wire in the G1 Coolmore Nunthorpe S. at York, is returning to Keeneland later this week and will be aimed at a start in the Nov. 4 GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Del Mar. The 3-year-old filly has made two transatlantic crossings this year. She won the G1 King's Stand S. at Royal Ascot in June before missing by just a nose to Marsha (Ire) (Acclamation) on the Knavesmire last Friday.
“She thinks she won,” trainer Wesley Ward said of the Nunthorpe. “They do know. If they're running hard and they're in front and then somebody blows by them, the next day they're kind of like ears back, dejected and sad almost. But the ones that win are the opposite. Their ears are up; they come out of the stall bouncing. She really thinks she won. The filly that won it, she ran a valiant race to run us down. She was very courageous to come and get what I believe is the fastest horse in the world.”
Lady Aurelia began her 2017 campaign with a win in the Giant's Causeway S. at Keeneland in April before her back-to-back English efforts.
“I was proud Lady Aurelia made such a tremendous effort back to back from here in the spring at Keeneland to Ascot to that race,” Ward said. “We'll look forward to the Breeders' Cup, then we'll put her away.”
Ward said plans are for Lady Aurelia to remain in training next season.
“[Owners] Barbara Banke and Peter Leidel have committed to running her next year and possibly the year after that,” Ward said. “It's good for racing to have a filly of this quality to keep going. Hopefully, she can maintain her form to where she runs such great races.”
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