Ward Leaning Toward Remaining on Turf With Golden Pal

After entertaining thoughts of shifting his ace turf sprinter Golden Pal  to dirt for the Oct. 7 Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix Stakes (G2) at Keeneland, trainer Wesley Ward said Sept. 6 that he and the colt's ownership are leaning toward keeping him on grass this fall in Kentucky. Should they stick to those plans, the speedy colt would run at Keeneland in the Oct. 8 Woodford Stakes Presented by FanDuel (G2T) before the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) there Nov. 5.

The 4-year-old son of Uncle Mo  , owned by the Coolmore-affiliated Westerberg Limited, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, and Derrick Smith, won the 2021 Woodford at Keeneland before traveling to Del Mar and capturing the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint in California. A year earlier, he won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2T) at Keeneland for Randy Lowe, his breeder and then-owner. His current owners acquired him in 2021.

Ward gave Golden Pal a breeze over Keeneland dirt Aug. 31, a slow half-mile in :51 4/5, though the trainer said the colt moved "beautifully" over the surface. Golden Pal has raced only once on dirt, setting the pace and tiring to second in a 4 1/2-furlong race when debuting at Gulfstream Park in April 2020.

"With the Breeders' Cup coming up right around the corner, here at our home track, it's hard any time you're going to switch surfaces," Ward said. "I just think that this guy is going to be going for three Breeders' Cup wins in a row—not many horses have done that. That would be a hell of an accomplishment right there alone."

Speaking of Phoenix consideration, last week Ward told BloodHorse the colt could see his eventual stallion value rise if he proved successful in stakes on dirt. He is 7-2-0 in 11 starts with earnings of more than $1.6 million.

Golden Pal is undefeated in seven turf sprints in the United States, only losing in three grass starts when he traveled to Europe, where turf sprints are regularly contested over a straightaway. Golden Pal is known for his rapid early acceleration and ability to create distance over his rivals, particularly in the U.S.

He showed a different dimension in his last start in the Troy Stakes (G3T) Aug. 5 at Saratoga Race Course. Off awkwardly and patiently handled by Irad Ortiz Jr. early, he rated in third before wearing down frontrunning True Valour  for a head victory.

Ward hasn't ruled out the Phoenix, he said Tuesday, but he and the colt's owners are "erring on the side of caution" in their current thinking of keeping him on turf.

Ward added Golden Pal is due for his next workout sometime this week, and "we'll see where we're at."