Delectation could shine amid rainy weather

LOUISVILLE, Kentucky – Wesley Ward already had the semi-legendary Lady Aurelia in his barn when Bound for Nowhere delivered a huge performance to win the Shakertown Stakes last month at Keeneland. Is there a third graded-stakes-class turf sprinter under Ward’s care?

Possibly, and the forecast of a rainy Friday – which could mean wet turf – doesn’t dampen the prospects of the Ward-trained filly Delectation in the Grade 3, $200,000 Twin Spires Turf Sprint, part of the Kentucky Oaks undercard at Churchill.

Delectation, who gets a five-pound weight allowance, drew the rail with 10 male rivals outside her, with Vision Perfect and Bucchero the two likely favorites.

Delectation, 4, started her career with two turf-sprint wins in her native England before being purchased and turned over to German-based trainer Andreas Wohler. Delectation raced over one mile in all six of her starts for Wohler, winning two Group 3’s.

She traveled to Keeneland last fall and finished seventh in the Grade 1 First Lady before Ward took the reins. Speaking with the filly’s regular rider, the top German jockey Eduardo Pedroza, after the First Lady, Ward got the impression Delectation might prefer sprints to miles.

“I took her to Florida over the winter, but I couldn’t quite seem to get her to the races – a little something here and there,” Ward said. “The owners afforded me the time to get her right. Her works at Keeneland were eye-openers.”

Restless Rambler, Riser, Latent Revenge, and Kid Perfect all are confirmed front-runners, and the pace should be fast. The others entered are Flashaway, Frisky Magician, Will Call, and Sonic Boom. Will Call might be capable but appeared to hate soft ground last out at Keeneland.

KEY CONTENDERSDelectation, by DelegatorLast 3 Beyers: 91-NA-NA◗ DRF Formulator reveals Ward’s excellent record of 35-10-6-6 with a $3.70 return on investment in turf sprints the last five years at Churchill.◗ Here’s more from Ward on Delectation: “I haven’t taken her back to the starting gate, and she may be away a little slow, but she should have a real comfortable spot on the rail. I’ve had a lot of luck with closing sprinters at Churchill, and it looks like she’d relish off going.”

Vision Perfect, by Pollard’s Vision

Last 3 Beyers: 104-90-95

◗ High-percentage East Coast-based trainer Jason Servis, who does especially well with turf sprinters, has his first starter of any kind at Churchill Downs.

◗ Claimed for $80,000 last June, Vision Perfect won for the first time in 10 starts and 17 months last out in the Silks Run over five furlongs at Gulfstream. He earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure in his 5 3/4-length romp.

◗ Six-year-old has raced 27 times, but only six of those starts were sprints.

◗ He has handled wet turf before, finishing second in the Grade 3 Hill Prince on soft going and winning the 2014 Awad Stakes over yielding turf.

Bucchero, by Kantharos

Last 3 Beyers: 94-86-96

◗ Indiana-bred 6-year-old will earn a trip to the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot in late June with a good showing Friday.

◗ Performed decently in his two starts this year, a third in the Silks Run and a second in the Shakertown. Ran into Bound for Nowhere’s buzz-saw performance in the Shakertown and got used up on a hot pace in the Silks Run while making his first start of the year. “Last race there was no beating Wesley’s horse,” trainer Tim Glyshaw said of Bound for Nowhere in the Shakertown.

◗ Got over a soft Keeneland course adequately last month and might not mind rain. “I don’t think it hurts us, and it might help us,” Glyshaw said.