Connections eyeing Charles Whittingham Stakes for Ward 'n Jerry

By late summer of 2018, Ward ‘n Jerry’s career seemed headed in the wrong direction. Winless in four starts in the preceding 18 months, Ward ‘n Jerry was shipped to Idaho and a respite on the farm of owners Larry and Marianne Williams.

“He’d fallen on hard times,” trainer Mike Puype recalled on Sunday.

Ward ‘n Jerry was 5 at the time and had won four races. He was gelded during the vacation and did not return to racing until last summer.

Ward ‘n Jerry returned to action with a different attitude. Saturday, five races into his comeback, Ward ‘n Jerry won the first stakes of his career in the Grade 3 San Luis Rey Stakes at 1 1/2 miles. The $101,000 San Luis Rey Stakes was Ward ‘n Jerry’s 20th start.

“He’s a better horse gelded,” Puype said. “He’s not getting as hot in the paddock. Gelding the horse helped him.”

Ward ‘n Jerry won an allowance race with a $40,000 claiming option at 1 3/8 miles on turf at Del Mar last August in his second start of that meeting. He was eligible to be claimed that day, but no one was interested.

Ward ‘n Jerry has not run for a claiming price since.

In recent months, Ward ‘n Jerry finished third by a neck in the Grade 2 Hollywood Turf Cup at 1 1/2 miles at Del Mar on Dec. 1 and was second as the 2-1 favorite in the Unusual Heat Turf Classic for California-breds at 1 1/8 miles at Santa Anita on Jan. 18.

The latter race was too short, Puype said.

“He definitely likes distance,” Puype said. “We won’t be looking to go shorter than a mile and a quarter. I don’t think that’s what he wants.”

A winner of six races and $373,579, Ward ‘n Jerry had an ideal trip in the San Luis Rey Stakes. Ridden by Flavien Prat, Ward ‘n Jerry stalked the pace, moved into contention with a wide rally on the turn and won by 1 1/4 lengths over Camino Del Paraiso.

“He ran really well and got a good ride from Flavien,” Puype said. “Flavien put him in a perfect spot.”

The next distance turf stakes at Santa Anita is the Grade 2 Charles Whittingham Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on May 23, a race that very well could be on Ward ‘n Jerry’s schedule.

For now, Puype said there is the satisfaction of watching Ward ‘n Jerry enjoy a resurgence.

“It’s fantastic – a 7-year-old winning a graded stakes,” he said. “When you’re winning graded stakes with older horses, it’s not easy. It’s a younger man’s game.”

Bejarano to stay in SoCal

Jockey Rafael Bejarano is staying in California.

Bejarano indicated earlier this year that he planned to relocate to Kentucky, but the cancellation of the Keeneland April meeting because of the coronavirus outbreak led to a reversal of those plans, according to his agent, Tora Yamaguchi.

Bejarano, 37, won or shared the riding titles at 30 race meetings in Southern California from 2008 to the summer meeting at Del Mar in 2016. At the current Santa Anita winter-spring meeting, Bejarano was tied for 16th with six wins through Saturday.

Next weekend, Bejarano has mounts in two stakes. He is expected to ride Siberian Iris in Saturday’s Grade 3 Santa Ana Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/4 miles on turf, and Synthesis in Sunday’s $75,000 Santana Mile for older horses.