Wesley Ward

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY -- Trainer Wesley Ward said it was his fault that 'TDN Rising Star' Long Neck Paula (Uncle Mo), the 2-1 morning-line favorite in Thursday's Astoria S., was scratched by the stewards. Ward said he took Long Neck Paula to Burke Equine Therapy to go in a cold water spa on Wednesday. Unbeknownst to Ward, there is a rule stating that permission must be granted by the stewards before a horse can be taken off the grounds for such treatment. "I didn't know, it's my own fault," Ward...

8th-SA, $54K, Msw, 3-5yo, 6f, 7:30 p.m. In a race that also features the debut of Flightline's half-brother Eagles Flight (Curlin), breaking just to that runner's outside is VISCERAL (Violence) for the partnership of MyRacehorse and Edge Racing. Bought for $400,000 out of OBS March last year after working in :10, the grey or roan colt is the second foal out of a half to GSW San Pablo (Jump Start) and MGSP Slider (Prenup). Working out of trainer Mark Glatt's barn, Visceral has fired bullets in two of his last...

West Memorial became the first winner for freshman sire Caracaro (by Uncle Mo) with an upset win over the boys in the Kentucky Juvenile S. at Churchill Downs on Thursday. The John Hancock trainee was a close second on debut at Keeneland Apr. 7. Overlooked at 17-1 here, the bay watched as the Wesley Ward-trained 'TDN Rising Star' Shoot It True (Munnings), a runaway Keeneland debut winner Apr. 5, and Resolute Racing acquisition Mensa (Complexity), a $740,000 purchase earlier this week via the Fasig-Tipton Digital Sale platform, battled for command...

With a burst of energy that was present from the bell, Will Stroud's Long Neck Paula (f, 2, Uncle Mo--Take Charge Paula, by Take Charge Indy) broke her maiden on debut at Churchill Downs on Thursday and earned herself a 'TDN Rising Star' badge. Drawing into the body of the field off the also-eligible list, the 3-1 chance shot out to the front from post 11 and set the tone up the backstretch. Though she was briefly joined by favored Preciseness (Into Mischief), the $500,000 OBS March graduate shrugged off...

1st-CD, $120K, Msw, 3yo/up, f/m, 6 1/2f, 10:30 a.m. ET. The Kentucky Oaks curtain lifts with a debuting full-sister to champion 2-year-old colt and current sire Good Magic (by Curlin). PENNY ROYAL is a Stonestreet homebred trained by Steve Asmussen. Dam MSW Glinda the Good (Hard Spun), who also carried the Stonestreet banner, is a half-sister to GSW Take the Ribbon (Chester House) and SW Flash Forward (Curlin). TJCIS PPS 2nd-CD, $100K, OCN1X, 3yo, f, 1 1/16m, 11:00 a.m. ET. Owned by Woodford, West Point and Chris Larsen, the Shug...

1st-Keeneland, $79,675, Msw, 4-26, 2yo, f, 5 1/2fT, 1:03.35, fm, 1 1/4 lengths. SATURDAY FLIRT (f, 2, Mendelssohn--Dragic {MSP, $104,350}, by Broken Vow) raced near the rear of the field on this unveiling, biding her time in cover as the frontrunners put up :21.89 and :45.18 early splits. Swung seven wide to the grandstand side as they rolled into the stretch, Saturday Flirt closed relentlessly but managed to overhaul 28-1 longshot Bois Blanc (First Samurai) in the late stages to win by 1 1/4 lengths. Out of a half-sister to...

6th-SA, $54K, Msw, 3-5yo, 5 1/2f, 6:30 p.m. ET. PARENTING (Justify) debuts for Gandharvi LLC., who purchased the colt at last year's OBS April Two-Year-Olds In Training Sale for $750,000. The Bob Baffert trainee's dam is a half-sister to Canadian champion turf male El Tormenta (Stormy Atlantic) and GSW Zero Tolerence (Mizzen Mast). The other half of the Baffert uncoupled entry is first time starter Middleburg (Tapit). A $485,000 buy for SF Bloodstock, Starlight and Madaket at the 2022 Keeneland September Sale, the gray is out of MGSW Selcourt (Tiz...

A casino is supposed to be on the way, but in the meantime these are tough times for racing in Chicago and its only remaining racetrack, Hawthorne. They still don't have any outside revenue from a casino, their purses are meager and their simulcast signal gets lost on days like Saturday, when they went up against the likes of Aqueduct, Gulfstream, Keeneland, Oaklawn and Santa Anita. The handle Saturday was $1,019,178. It should have been three times that. We've seen a lot of tracks experiment with lower takeouts. The latest...

2nd-Keeneland, $79,675, Msw, 4-21, 2yo, 4 1/2f, :53.41, ft, head. DREAMAWAY (f, 2, Flameaway--Dream Dancing {GISW, $483,271}, by Tapit) came into this race sporting a recent bullet three-furlong work in :35 3/5 over this surface Apr. 5 and was duly made the 1-2 favorite to make good while facing the boys. Narrowly in front through an opening quarter in :22.48, the grey had to battle all the way through, but proved best at the end, scoring by a head over fellow firster Clever Again (American Pharoah). Mo Hair Sam (Mo...

1st-SA, $54K, Msw, 3-5yo, f, 7f, 4:00 p.m. ET. JANE AUSTEN (Tapit) makes her first start for Muir Hut Stables and trainer Mark Glatt. A $750,000 purchase at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale, the gray is out of MGSP Shayjolie (Indian Charlie), who Speedway Stables acquired for $400,000 at the 2015 Keeneland November Sale. The filly's SP second dam produced GI Woodward S. runner-up Mythical Power (Congaree). Making her debut for trainer Richard Mandella is Quick Brown Fox (Justify). The Spendthrift homebred's dam MGISW Bast (Uncle) went to the...

2nd-Keeneland, $76,880, Msw, 4-18, 2yo, f, 4 1/2f, :53.48, ft, 3 3/4 lengths. ULTIMA GRACE (f, 2, American Pharoah--Ultima D {SW, $241,936}, by Scat Daddy) debuted as the 1-9 choice here, but she was not alone upon exiting the gate as she was joined by Haven't a Red Cent (Goldencents). The pair locked horns around the far turn, but the Wesley Ward trainee began to pull away entering the stretch and she won in geared down fashion by 3 3/4 lengths over Kiss Cam (Mastery). A $300,000 purchase by For...

5th-KEE, $100K, Msw, 3yo, f, 1 1/16mT, 3:08 p.m. ET. SCARLET POPPY (IRE) (Night of Thunder {Ire}) makes the races after she was purchased by Stonestreet Stable and M.V. Magnier for 800,000gns at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale. The Wesley Ward trainee has a trio of gelding half-brothers who have won stakes in Europe, including Ross Castle (Ire) (Bushranger {Ire}), Snazzy Jazzy (Ire) (Red Jazz) and Ten Year Ticket (Ire) (Rock of Gibraltar (Ire). Also drawn is Ready for Shirl (More Than Ready), who is out of GI Breeders' Cup...