Ward Eyes Royal Ascot and Breeders' Cup for Kimari

Moments after Kimari delivered a big performance in her 2020 debut, trainer Wesley Ward outlined much bigger plans he had for his world traveler and dual-surface stakes winner.

Kimari, in her return to dirt, was a 1 3/4-length winner of the Purple Martin Stakes for 3-year-old fillies sprinting six furlongs April 4 at Oaklawn Park. Ridden by Channing Hill, Kimari powered past favored Frank's Rockette on the outside in deep stretch to win for the fourth time in six starts for David Mowat's Ten Broeck Farm.

Ward said the tentative plan for Kimari is to return to England for the June 19 Commonwealth Cup (G1) at the Royal Ascot meeting, with the year-end objective being the Nov. 7 Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) at Keeneland.

"She's going to be just a pure sprinter, dirt or turf," Ward said after his first career Oaklawn victory. "We'll probably try to stick a little bit to the grass to keep her sound because the ultimate goal would be the Breeders' Cup Sprint. I've told them all along that I feel so strongly about this filly. Plus, Keeneland is my home base and hers as well, so we would like to go against the boys. It's a six-furlong (dirt) race. I think she's really going to jump up as we get through the season, and numbers-wise, she'll be right up there as a serious contender for the Breeders' Cup Sprint against the boys."

A daughter of Munnings , Kimari made her first start since finishing fourth against males Nov. 1 in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2T) at Santa Anita Park.

Kimari was already a two-time stakes winner on grass and finished second, beaten a head, in the Queen Mary Stakes (G2) in June at Royal Ascot. In her only previous dirt start, Kimari crushed males by 15 lengths in her frontrunning debut last April at Keeneland. Based on two swift workouts in March at Gulfstream Park West, Ward said he decided to return Kimari to dirt and targeted the April 5 Beaumont Stakes (G3) at Keeneland for her 3-year-old debut. Kimari, however, was rerouted to Oaklawn after Keeneland canceled its spring meet because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Since we gave her the winter off, she came back completely sound," said Ward, known for his success with 2-year-olds, particularly sprinting. "I took her to Calder (now called Gulfstream Park West), which I think is the best dirt surface, as far as being very, very safe and horses coming back sound from their breezes. I gave her a work from the gate. She worked (five furlongs) in :58 flat. That's the first horse I've ever had do that there. Just was a real eye-catching breeze. After that day, I switched from thinking about running her on the grass at Keeneland to the dirt at Keeneland."

Kimari, nine days later at Gulfstream Park West, worked six furlongs in 1:12 1/5.

"I knew the dirt wouldn't be an issue," Ward said.

Racing Saturday on a sloppy (sealed) surface, Kimari covered six furlongs in 1:10.57. The victory raised her earnings to $351,646. She was a $152,000 purchase by Eaton Bloodstock from Bluewater Sales in 2018 at The July Sale, Fasig-Tipton's Kentucky yearling sale.

Ward told Oaklawn media April 5 that Kimari emerged from her victory in "great" shape physically. She was scheduled to return to Keeneland Sunday. Chris Hartman, Oaklawn's leading trainer in 2015, saddled Kimari in Ward's absence.