Ward's Ascot-Bound Quintet Turn in Final Drills
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Photo: Frances J. Karon
Twilight Gleaming works over the Keeneland turf course the morning of June 9
Trainer Wesley Ward's Royal Ascot-bound quintet registered their final breezes the morning of June 9 over the turf course at Keeneland. At the conclusion of the works, Ward said it was "likely" all five runners would be on the plane boarded to London Stanstead Airport on the 14th.
"All of them worked nice," Ward said of the Royal Ascot contenders, four of which are owned by Barbara Banke's Stonestreet Stables and one owned by Three Chimneys Farm.
Wesley Ward outside his Rice Road barn June 9 at Keeneland
The only solo worker from the five, 2021 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1T) heroine Twilight Gleaming , recorded a maintenance-style half-mile in an easy :52 4/5. A handy winner of the Giant's Causeway Stakes during the Keeneland spring meet in her 4-year-old debut, the daughter of National Defense embarks on her second trip to Royal Ascot, having finished second in the 2021 Queen Mary Stakes (G2) as a juvenile. She will target the June 20 King's Stand Stakes (G1), which is contested over a straight five furlongs.
"Twilight Gleaming's been zipping along every week so our plan for today was for her to have a little target a sixteenth of a mile in front of her (a pair worked in front of her) and just have her cruise around on this grass course. Which she did. She worked well so we're pretty happy with that."
The first pair to breeze were two of Ward's impressive juvenile winners from the Keeneland spring meet, American Rascal and Fandom . American Rascal on the inside clocked the half-mile in :49 1/5 while Fandom was credited with :48 3/5 for the distance.
"It was hard to separate them today," Ward said. "I have a very patient (exercise) rider in Julio Garcia that was on American Rascal and he did a great job where he got him to just switch off and just relax. And Fandom was a convincing winner here during the Keeneland spring meet. He continues to impress us each week. It was a great workout for the pair of them."
The June 22 Norfolk Stakes (G2) could be an option for both Stonestreet Stables-owned colts.
Bundchen breezes June 9 over the Keeneland turf course
Stonestreet's dual stakes-winning filly Love Reigns , fourth in the Queen Mary last year, and Three Chimneys Farm' Bundchen , the $700,000 sale topper at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale, were the last Ward set to work over the lawn. Breaking off together, Bundchen drew away from her older stablemate down the lane, galloping out powerfully after recording a bullet :48 2/5 for the half-mile.
Love Reigns, a contender for the age-restricted Commonwealth Cup (G1) June 23 and winner of the April 14 Limestone Stakes at Keeneland in her most recent outing, was timed in :48 4/5.
Bundchen, a 2-year-old daughter of Gun Runner , was second by the slimmest of noses in her Keeneland debut April 28. Ward appeared unfazed by the fact the filly would enter the Queen Mary as a maiden.
"I've won the Queen Mary with a maiden before—Acapulco (in 2015)—and not saying I'm comparing one to the other but today's work was as good as any work I've ever had bringing fillies over to the Queen Mary," Ward said. "(Bundchen) certainly warrants a trip going over there after today's work and she has a legitimate chance of winning. She had the fastest time of the day and she had a formidable foe behind her in Love Reigns."
"(Three Chimneys Farm chairman) Gonçalo (Torrealba) is already organizing his top hat and tail so I'd say we're going especially after today's work. And the Stonestreet team here will huddle up and make a plan."