Amanzi Yimpilo gives Ward another BC candidate with Speakeasy win

ARCADIA, Calif. – Whether it’s in New York or Kentucky, Royal Ascot or France, or out here in California, trainer Wesley Ward is a terror in 2-year-old turf sprints.

On Saturday at Santa Anita, he added at least his second assured starter to his Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint roster on Nov. 6 at Keeneland when the filly Amanzi Yimpilo outran seven males and another female to take the $102,000 Speakeasy Stakes.

Amanzi Yimpilo joins Campanelle, who last month won the Group 1 Prix Morny at Deauville, as Ward-trained 2-year-old fillies who have now captured “Win and You’re In” races toward the Juvenile Turf Sprint.

Amanzi Yimpilo ($7.20), the second choice in the field of nine, dueled with No Pedigree through the early going of the about 5 1/2-furlong race, got the best of that rival at mid-stretch, then staved off a late bid from Wyfire to win by a head. Windy City Red, who had traffic trouble at mid-stretch, was another half-length back in third.

:: Get DRF Betting Strategies for Santa Anita’s Saturday card

Commander Khai, the 2-1 favorite, was fourth, then came, in order, No Pedigree, The Great One, Basque Man, Feathers, and Fury Kap.

Amanzi Yimpilo was timed in 1:02.77 on the firm course. With the rails set at zero Saturday, the timing for turf sprints under that scenario now begin just shy of a full 5 1/2 furlongs, hence being designated as an “about” distance.

“She was pretty nervous behind the gate but she broke very well,” said Luis Saez, who is riding here this weekend and was aboard Amanzi Yimpilo for the first time. “She broke well, I was in a good spot. I knew in the stretch she’d fight.”

Amanzi Yimpilo, named for a clean-water project in South Africa, was racing for third time at three different tracks in three different states. She won her debut at Gulfstream Park in June, then was third last month in the Bolton Landing at Saratoga. Prior to heading west, she worked once at Keeneland, and she’ll immediately return there to train up to the Juvenile Turf Sprint.

Amanzi Yimpilo, a daughter of No Nay Never, was bred in Ireland but was sold as a yearling at Keeneland one year ago for $300,000 to a partnership. She races for Susan Moulton, Marc Detampel, and the CJ Thoroughbreds of the father-and-son team of Corey and C.J. Johnson.