By Patrycja Szpyra
From Kentucky to France to the Breeders' Cup last year, Outfielder (Speightstown) has always been well-regarded, and he made his return to the races a stylish one with a frontrunning masterclass in the Animal Kingdom Stakes.
A buzz horse almost from day one, he was made a 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' at first-asking in late May last year when he went gate-to-wire by a commanding 6 1/4 lengths in a five-furlong maiden dash at Churchill Downs. Trainer Wesley Ward saw more than a glimmer of potential in his Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Yearling Sale graduate, and he thought big–the colt's next target would be a tilt at the G1 Prix Morny in Deauville that August, where he would finish a respectable fourth behind a tough group of Europeans after missing the break. He returned in early October at Keeneland to take a main track allowance contest and was last seen fading to 14th at Del Mar in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf as familiar face Gstaad (GB) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) capped a sterling 2025 campaign.
Gone since the World Championships, Outfielder was well bet here to the tune of 1-2 favoritism, and he went right back to what worked: a frontrunning tour de force. Showing the way as undefeated Hometown Bound (Mitole) tried to keep him company through fractions of :21.46 and four panels in :44.59, the eventual winner drew clear of his would-be challengers midway on the turn. Small Town (Speightstown) tried to take up the chase, but could not cut into the margin late as Outfielder came home 4 1/2 lengths best. Gnome (Tapiture) closed from last to close the trifecta.
The victor is the only black-type horse for his dam, multiple stakes placed herself during her racing career, and is her most recent of competition age. Notte d'Oro's 2024 full-sibling to Outfielder died, but she did manage to deliver a now yearling colt by Quality Road since then. She aborted her 2026 full-sibling to the yearling. Notte d'Oro is a half-sister to MGSW & GISP Red Rifle (Giant's Causeway). Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
OUTFIELDER cruises home to win the Animal Kingdom S. at @turfwaypark in his return to the races for trainer Wesley Ward with @ljlmvel aboard! 🤩
🎥 #TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/8ucAxTGUeb
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) March 21, 2026
ANIMAL KINGDOM S., $248,000, Turfway, 3-21, 3yo, 6f (AWT), 1:10.65, ft.
1–OUTFIELDER, 118, c, 3, by Speightstown
1st Dam: Notte d'Oro (SW-USA, SP-Can, $242,482), by Medaglia d'Oro
2nd Dam: May Night, by Gulch
3rd Dam: Riverjinsky, by Riverman
($300,000 RNA Wlg '23 KEENOV; $850,000 Ylg '24 FTSAUG). 1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O-Amo Racing USA, LLC, Ward, Wesley A. and Werth, Jayson R.; B-SF Bloodstock LLC (KY); T-Wesley A. Ward; J-John R. Velazquez. $153,000. Lifetime Record: 5-3-0-0, $317,966.
2–Small Town, 118, c, 3, Speightstown–Big Meesh (Ire), by High Chaparral (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O/B-Grantley Acres & Ryan Conner (KY); T-Michael W. McCarthy. $50,000.
3–Gnome, 118, c, 3, Tapiture–Overthegardengate, by Forefathers. ($29,000 RNA Ylg '24 FTKOCT). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O/B-Dede McGehee (KY); T-Kelsey Danner. $25,000.
Margins: 4HF, 3HF, 3/4. Odds: 0.52, 6.44, 10.14.
Also Ran: Mom's Spaghetti, Hometown Bound. Scratched: Archimedes, Ganaas, Longshoreman.
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