Astoria favorite Happy Soul quick from the blocks

Wesley Ward is one of the premier trainers of 2-year-old talent. Ward juveniles have competed successfully all over the world, including at prestigious Royal Ascot. His 2-year-olds have captured four Breeders’ Cup events with the latest being Golden Pal’s victory in the 2020 Juvenile Turf Sprint.

Another talented Ward string will target the 2021 Royal Ascot meeting, but first things first.

Gayla Rankin’s Happy Soul will likely start the heavy favorite traveling 5 1/2 furlongs in Thursday’s $150,000 Astoria Stakes at Belmont. Breaking from post 4 under John Velazquez, Happy Soul should show speed from the start.

Favored in her debut against males at Keeneland on April 14, Happy Soul was beaten by Nakatomi, whom Ward will enter in Friday’s Tremont at Belmont.

“When we started our work schedules, we got hampered by an ice storm.” Ward said Monday morning. “We didn’t get to train at all or even come out of the barn for 18 days. In March, we were way behind with our 2-year-olds that we had left here at Keeneland. So she only had about three total breezes going into her first race.”

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Happy Soul was tighter for her second start, an 11 3/4-length tour de force at Belmont. The daughter of Runhappy earned an 80 Beyer, the highest speed figure for a 2-year-old filly in 2021.

American Bound is the other winner in the field. A daughter of American Freedom, she scored at Keeneland on April 2 before finishing fifth against males in the $125,000 Kentucky Juvenile at Churchill. Two days before the Juvenile, American Bound was listed as a $340,000 RNA at the Keeneland horses of racing age sale.

“We didn’t have a lot of time with her before she won,” said trainer Joe Sharp on Monday. “It seems like last time she didn’t handle the slop. She’s been training real forward. Looking at the race, I think other than Wesley’s horse, she looks to be sitting in a real good spot.”

Sharp seemed pleased with the draw. “The outside is always good, especially going short as it gives you options to go or to sit off if somebody else does,” he said. “Mentally, she’s been a filly that’s been ultra-consistent. Everything we’ve thrown at her, she’s done it with her ears pricked and never turned a hair. Her disposition is going to help her moving forward.”

Trainer Butch Reid sends out first-time starter Mainstay, a daughter of Astern. Mainstay is a half-sister to champion Vequist, whom Reid campaigned to win her maiden in the Grade 1 Spinaway Stakes at Saratoga before going on to prevail in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.

After winning Saturday’s Paradise Creek at Belmont with Beren, Reid told reporters his hopes for Mainstay: “We’re excited about her. Hopefully, she can do what her big sister did and break her maiden in a stakes. She’s been very quick in the a.m. and she’s a smaller, stouter horse than her big sister.”

An uncoupled entry trained by Alberta Davies, She’s So Shiny and Midsummer Nights, and Constitution Gal, a filly switching to dirt for her second start for Mark Casse, complete the field.

– additional reporting by David Grening