Chiltern Street will try to back up Ward's confidence in him
OLDSMAR, Fla. – Trainer Wesley Ward has always had high hopes for Chiltern Street, but until recently, things just hadn’t gone the colt’s way. That changed in Chiltern Street’s most recent start, a maiden win at Tampa Bay Downs on Dec. 2, leaving Ward optimistic that the colt is poised for a big year.
Chiltern Street will make his 4-year-old debut here in Sunday’s featured seventh race, a first-level, $23,000 allowance going 1 1/16 miles on turf. The race drew a full field of 10 older horses and one additional runner for the main track only.
Ward said minor physical issues kept Chiltern Street from making his career debut until last September at Saratoga, where he finished fourth in a maiden race after encountering traffic trouble. Ward said he probably made a mistake by bringing the horse back just 12 days later in a rich maiden race at Kentucky Downs, where he again finished fourth, beaten three-quarters of a length.
Chiltern Street finished second, beaten a length, after leading most of the way in his third start, a maiden race at Churchill Downs in November. But Ward said the race’s 1 1/8-mile distance was a tad too far, and Chiltern Street likely didn’t prefer the “good” turf course that day.
The horse finally broke through here Dec. 2, winning a $20,300 maiden special weight race by 2 1/4 lengths at the 1 1/16-mile distance of Sunday’s race. Chiltern Street was favored at 2-5 in that turf race, his third consecutive start as the favorite, and has never started at odds higher than 2.8-1. Ward said he thinks bettors are right to expect big things from Chiltern Street, who races for Michael B. Tabor.
“I really think a lot of this horse,” Ward said. “I really think he’s going to break through to be something very, very special in the future. He put it all together in his last start, and he won. He’s really come back to how he was looking in late spring and summer last year, and I think he’s going to run a big race.”
KEY CONTENDERS
Chiltern Street, by Giant’s Causeway
Last 3 Beyers: 82-82-77
◗ His last two Beyer Speed Figures are one point below the winning Beyer par for this level, and he appears to be sitting on a big effort after a bullet five-furlong workout in 58.40 seconds at Palm Meadows on Jan. 21.
Ruffolo, by City Zip
Last 3 Beyers: 83-80-69
◗ He seems to relish this turf course, having won his maiden on it Jan. 1 before running a solid second at this level Jan. 20.
Hard Thunder, by Rock Hard Ten
Last 3 Beyers: 75-78-67
◗ He makes his 2016 debut after winning three consecutive races, including a third-level, $16,000 claimer on turf here Dec. 27 under top local jockey Antonio Gallardo, who retains the mount.