Ward Looks to Work Juvenile Magic for Saturday’s Fall Festival of Racing
Ward Looks to Work Juvenile Magic for Saturday’s Fall Festival of Racing
Represented by Battle Station in Laurel Futurity, Light Up the Town in Selima
LAUREL, MD – Wesley Ward has achieved a high-rate of success with 2-year-olds, particularly on turf, earning a worldwide reputation that will preclude Battle Station and Light Up the Town from being taken lightly when the pair of Ward trainees take to the turf Saturday at Laurel Park.
“As a little boy I was doing this in the state of Washington, breaking horses. It’s something that comes very natural to me. I feel very comfortable around young horses,” Ward said. “The [approximately two-mile] Melbourne Cup would be something that would be completely foreign to me, but anything six furlongs and under – the younger the better – I’m lethal at.”
Ken and Sarah Ramsey’s Battle Station, a sharp debut winner on turf at Saratoga Aug. 25, is set to make his stakes debut in the $100,000 Laurel Futurity, while John Fielding and Frederick Hertrich II’s Light Up the Town is scheduled follow an impressive debut win over Monmouth’s turf course Aug. 11 in the $100,000 Selima Stakes.
“They’ve been trained for speed and they both did it in their first starts, but I think they’re rate-able and tractable if someone wants to go,” Ward said. “The races are six furlongs on turf, so [speed] is what you want.”
The Laurel Futurity, a six-furlong turf dash for 2-year-olds, and the Selima, a six-furlong sprint for juvenile fillies, are among seven stakes races worth $900,000 in purses on Saturday’s 12-race card that will be headlined by the $250,000 Xpressbet Frank J. DeFrancis Memorial Dash (G3).
Battle Station, a son of Warrior’s Reward, broke alertly from the starting gate in his debut to set fast and pressured fractions and hold on gamely to prevail by three-quarters of a length.
“He looks like a colt that can go both surfaces. I’m pretty sure he’ll do well on dirt as well,” Ward said. “I left it up to Mr. Ramsey about what to do, and this looks like a good spot.”
Albin Jimenez is slated to ride the New York-bred colt, who drew Post No. 7 and is rated second at 7-2 in the morning line behind 3-1 favorite Majestic Dunhill.
R. A. Hill Stable’s Majestic Dunhill is set to make his stakes debut in the Laurel Futurity after scoring an impressive 2 ¼-length triumph to break his maiden in his third career start at Saratoga Aug. 23. In his first two career starts he raced closer to the early pace before weakening to finish third and fourth, respectively. The George Weaver-trained colt rated off the pace before kicking in through the stretch to earn a trip to the winner’s circle. Tyler Gaffalione will break from the No. 4 aboard the morning-line favorite.
Robert LaPenta’s Dial One is rated third in the morning line at 9-2 for the 91st running of the Laurel Futurity. The son of Dialed In made his career debut on turf at Gulfstream Park May 20, scoring a four-length victory after pressing the early pace. The Todd Pletcher-trained colt moved to dirt for stakes engagements in his next two starts, setting the pace before faltering and finishing third in the Kiss a Native at Gulfstream July 1 and closing from off the pace to finish third in the off-the-turf Skidmore at Saratoga Aug. 18. Feargal Lynch has the mount aboard the Pletcher trainee, who drew Post 11.
Marc Detampel’s Trusting Friend is set to make his U.S. debut for trainer Brendan Walsh. The son of The Factor made three starts in England, including a triumph on turf at Thirsk last time out. The Kentucky-bred colt finished second in a photo finish in his debut at Thirsk before finishing off the board over the synthetic surface at Wolverhampton.
Oak Bluff Stables’ Therapist is set for his stakes debut after capturing his debut against New York-bred rivals over Belmont Park’s turf course July 2 for trainer Christophe Clement.
Kerri Szegl’s Nauti Boy is scheduled to make a return to the Laurel turf after a pair of graded-stakes engagements at Saratoga. The Erin McClellan-trained gelding won at first asking at Laurel July 2 while rallying from off the pace to capture a five-furlong turf event by a neck. The son of Mizzen Mast finished off the board in the Sanford (G3) on the main track before finishing a troubled ninth in the With Anticipation (G3) on turf.
Narrow Leaf Farm’s Cheese On is slated to make his turf debut after winning two of his three career starts on dirt. Trained by Cathal Lynch, the gelded son of Scipion debuted with a victory at Laurel June 17 before capturing an optional claiming allowance at Delaware and finishing fourth in the Strike Your Colors Stakes at Delaware.
Barak Farm’s Stroll Smokin, who finished third in the Strike Your Colors after debuting with a victory over Laurel’s main track; D. J. Stable’s Shane’s Jewel, who graduated in his third career start at Monmouth on dirt; Jay Reese’s Blue Ridge Scout, a winner of an off-the-turf maiden race at Laurel Aug. 12; and Mens Grill Racing’s Go Willy Go, a maiden winner at Timonium in his third start, are also scheduled to make their respective turf debuts in the Laurel Futurity.
Unlike Battle Station, who is likely to be tested on dirt in the future, Light Up the Town is likely to stay on grass.
“She’s all turf,” Ward said. “She’ll stay on turf.”
Light Up the Town drew Post No. 1 for her start in the Selima. The daughter of Speightstown set the pace in her five-furlong debut at Monmouth before drawing clear under Jimenez, who has the return mount Saturday. Light Up the Town is rated third in the morning line at 7-2 behind 5-2 favorite Wise Gal and Mel’s Gone Wild, rated second at 3-1.
Eric Wirth’s Wise Gal was a debut winner on turf at Laurel for trainer Dove Haughton Aug. 11. The daughter of Einstein rated off the pace before making a three-wide sweep that would propel her to victory by a half-length. Steve Hamilton has the mount.
Mel’s Gone Wild will seek to rebound from an off-the-board finish in a graded stakes at Saratoga while making her debut on turf Saturday. Owned by trainer Kathleen Demasi, Diane Oreck and Class Personified Stable, the 2-year-old daughter of Wildcat Heir previously breezed to a 4 ½-length debut victory at Parx June 17. Daniel
Centeno is slated to ride Mel’s Gone Wild for the first time Saturday.
Sagamore Farm’s Proportionality is also among the five fillies that are set to try the turf for the first time in the Selima. The daughter of Discreet Cat broke her maiden at first asking July 9, scoring a 1 ¼-length triumph over Laurel’s main track. The homebred filly returned to finish seventh in the Adirondack (G2) Aug. 12 over the Saratoga main track.
“It’s a local race and she’s been training at the farm,” trainer Horacio DePaz said. “We’re going to give it a go and see how she likes the turf and how that shakes out for her.”
Proportionality was never a factor under Paco Lopez in the Adirondack.
“She just didn’t break and she’d never been in a situation where she was behind horses or anything like that. It was a tougher caliber of horses she was running against so she just didn’t really take off or run or anything,” DePaz said. “Paco, as soon as she missed the break, he just let her be where she was comfortable. He felt she didn’t have much run in her and at the end of the race he just kind of took care of her. When he came back he said the way she felt, maybe she would like the turf.”
Amy Moore’s Rose to Fame is scheduled to make her first start since being purchased at auction for $195,000 and her first start on turf. The Michael Matz –trained filly has won both of her starts, both over Gulfstream’s main track, winning her debut June 7 and capturing the $100,000 Brave Raj Stakes July 1.
Gumpster Stable and Jagger Inc.’s Dad’s City Girl has won two of her three starts, including an optional claiming allowance at Laurel. The Jamie Ness-trained filly finished third in a Delaware optional claiming allowance last time out.
The Elkstone Group LLC’s Eighty Six Mets is set to make her stakes debut after showing a distinct fondness for turf in her most recent start. After finishing fifth on dirt in her debut June 5, the Kelly Rubley-trained daughter of Colonel John cruised to a front-running 1 ¼-length victory to graduate on turf at Delaware Park July 17.
Quest Realty’s Madam X is set for a return to Laurel, where she debuted impressively after finishing a troubled seventh in the Bolton Landing Stakes at Saratoga. The Susan Cooney-trained daughter of Exchange Rate had previously made an auspicious debut July 2, scoring a front-running 9 ½-length victory over the Laurel turf.
R J G Management’s Artattack, the winner of one of six starts on the synthetic surface at Presque Isle Downs, rounds out the field.
