Lady Aurelia's First Foal Shines in Keeneland Debut

This column highlights the performances of maidens who have made no more than five starts and who either sold for more than $500,000 at public auction, have siblings that are grade/group winners, or have dams that are grade/group winners. BloodHorse research shows maiden winners, in particular, who meet these criteria are more likely to go on to be graded stakes winners.

Keeneland

Wesley Ward continued his domination of Keeneland's 2-year-old maiden races when American Rascal  bounded home a 10 1/4-length winner April 20.

(8) @StonestreetFarm's American Rascal, the first foal of international superstar Lady Aurelia, and jockey Joel Rosario wins race 2 by 10 ¼ lengths. Time of :51.21 for 4 ½ furlongs for the colt by Curlin was fastest of the meet. pic.twitter.com/HdMTjvP3zK

— Keeneland Racing (@keenelandracing) April 20, 2023

Racing to the wire as a spitting image of his dam, Lady Aurelia , adorned in Stonestreet Stables silks and trademark black and gold Ward blinkers, American Rascal became Ward's fourth juvenile winner of the Keeneland spring meet with his facile victory. The trainer has captured all but one of the five races staged for 2-year-olds at the Lexington oval thus far.

American Rascal, however, has been Ward's fastest juvenile winner yet this year. Stalking behind a sole rival through an opening quarter in :22.21, the burly bay sidled up to that foe around the turn and powered clear in mid-stretch. Jockey Joel Rosario wrapped up early as the colt created daylight between him and the rest of the field in the final furlong. The pair stopped the timer in a meet-best :51.21 for the 4 1/2 furlongs on the main track.

Seven years earlier, Lady Aurelia had scored under similar conditions for Stonestreet and Ward in a then-track record time of :50.85. The Scat Daddy filly parlayed her glittering maiden win into two top-level victories across the pond at 2 in the Queen Mary Stakes (G2) during Royal Ascot and the Prix Morny (G1) in France. Campaigned in partnership with Peter Leidel, Lady Aurelia was bestowed with the 2016 Cartier Award for champion 2-year-old filly. Returning to Royal Ascot the following year, she again proved herself to be a global queen when trouncing males in the King's Stand Stakes (G1).  

American Rascal, a son of two-time Horse of the Year and outstanding sire Curlin  , is Lady Aurelia's first foal.  

Ward, grinning from ear-to-ear after American Rascal's debut performance, indicated the colt would certainly attempt to carry out his mother's legacy at Ascot this summer.

"We'll center in on the Norfolk," Ward said. "I think he's going to have limited distance abilities. He's a super-fast horse. The good thing about running over at Ascot is they come in and out of the races there completely sound."

The Norfolk Stakes (G2), contested over a straight five-furlong course, is June 22.

"His mother did so great over there so I really look forward to this guy, he's going to be something," Ward said.

One race later, another star-studded colt broke his maiden at Keeneland for team Coolmore and trainer Steve Asmussen. Ocean City , selected by Coolmore principal M.V. Magnier for $600,000 as a weanling at the 2020 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, won in his third trip to the post in a one-mile maiden special weight on the turf.

The win came after the son of American Pharoah  's failed attempt to sprint six furlongs on the main track in his debut Feb. 18 at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. A half brother to 2021 champion sprinter and four-time grade 1 winner Jackie's Warrior  , Ocean City was rerouted to the lawn and two turns in his next outing. Unfortunately, the frontrunning colt stumbled badly at the start in a March 26 turf maiden and was never able to recover, finishing off the board.

Ocean City redeemed himself plenty on Thursday, rolling to a 1 1/4 length gate-to-wire tally over the Keeneland grass. He completed the mile in 1:36.32.

*denotes 2-year-old