No Nay Never Returns With Woodford Win
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A long layoff proved no problem for the talented No Nay Never, who scored a front-running victory in the $150,000 Woodford Stakes Presented by Keeneland Select (gr. IIIT) Oct. 4 at Keeneland .
Making his first start since a runner-up finish to Spot when heavily favored in the Swale Stakes (gr. II) on dirt March 1 at Gulfstream Park, 2-1 choice No Nay Never dueled with the speedy Spring to the Sky to his outside through a quarter-mile in :21.53. He edged away from that one after a :44.40 half turning for home, and then held off stretch challenges from runner-up Mongol Bull and third-place finisher Sharp Sensation.
Winner of a group I winner in France and a group II winner at Royal Ascot last year for trainer Wesley Ward, Dave Reid's Ice Wine Stable, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, and Derrick Smith, No Nay Never improved to three wins in three career turf starts. A 3-year-old son of Scat Daddy , No Nay Never also improved to 2-for-2 at Keeneland, where he won his 4 1/2-furlong debut last year on the former Polytrack.
With Mike Smith showing the way, No Nay Never completed 5 1/2 furlongs on good turf in 1:03.59 to win the Woodford by a half-length over Brad Rainwater's Mongol Bull, who placed in the first stakes start of his career.
No Nay Never returned $6, $5.20, $3.80 across the board, while 56-1 shot Mongol Bull returned $35.60 to place and $13.40 to show. Sharp Sensation returned $4.60 to show.
No Nay Never was bred in Kentucky by Jayne Doi Johnson and David Sparrow. He is one of two winners from as many starters out of the winning Elusive Quality mare Cat's Eye Witness.
Ward said he was considering his options and would meet with the owners, but was leaning toward the Xpressbet Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I).
"This turf course here is just so kind and forgiving. He's a big, blocky, extremely fast horse," Ward said. "I thought this would be a great spot to bring him back and springboard him back into what we're going to do.
"He's equally as good on the dirt. I just wanted to bring him back into this, see how he comes back, and more likely than not (go to) the Breeders' Cup Sprint ."