Giant's Causeway no easy spot for Campanelle's Royal Ascot prep

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The globe-trotting Campanelle is launching her 2022 season at her home base of Keeneland, with her connections hoping to make another transatlantic trip this year. The Wesley Ward-trained filly is part of an overflow field of female turf sprinters in the $200,000 Giant’s Causeway Stakes on Saturday.

Campanelle won the Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes at the Royal Ascot meeting in 2020 as a juvenile and later took the Group 1 Prix Morny against males in France. Last year, she made a successful return to Royal Ascot, crossing the line second by a head in the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup, once again against male rivals, before being promoted to the victory via disqualification.

“We’re focused on sending her back to Ascot – three in a row,” trainer Wesley Ward said.

This is by no means an easy comeback spot for Campanelle, who is making her first start since finishing a rallying third in the Grade 3 Franklin County in October at Keeneland, behind Change of Control and Ambassador Luna, both of whom she faces again here. Her chief foes include a pair of divisional stalwarts in rivals Elle Z and Change of Control.

Elle Z is streaking into the 5 1/2-furlong Giant’s Causeway for Chris Hartman off consecutive victories at Fair Grounds in the Nelson J. Menard Memorial Stakes, Frederick P. Aime Memorial, and Mardi Gras Stakes. Her Beyer Speed Figure of 97 in the Mardi Gras is easily the highest last-out number in this field.

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Change of Control, second by just a nose in the Aime and third in the Mardi Gras, is looking to turn the tables on her rival on a course she may prefer. She is the defending winner of both the Giant’s Causeway and Franklin County.

Change of Control, who can stalk or come from farther back depending on the situation, may also have an edge over Elle Z in the race shape. Elle Z will be committed to her spot on the front end.

“She’s one-dimensional,” regular jockey Mitchell Murrill said of her during the recent Fair Grounds streak. “You let her do her thing, stay out of her way, and hope she’s the best of the day.”

Elle Z is virtually assured company on the front end from the free-wheeling Jouster, winner of last year’s Grade 2 Appalachian at Keeneland for Todd Pletcher. She is cutting back in distance, having never run at less than a mile on turf. They will also get company on the front end from Headline Hunter, coming off a win in the Captiva Island at Gulfstream Park for Jose D’Angelo.

Ambassador Luna, who set the pace in last fall’s Franklin County before being overhauled by Change of Control, went unplaced in a pair of subsequent stakes outings. She opened 2022 with an easy allowance-level win last month on Turfway’s synthetic, stalking and then drawing clear.

Risky Reward, twice stakes-placed last year, is also coming in from a productive winter at the Fair Grounds. She has won two of three outings, albeit at the allowance level, since moving to trainer Eddie Kenneally’s barn.

A G Indy, Goin’ Good, Hear My Prayer, Star Devine, and Violenza were all stakes winners in 2021. Ghosting Kim and Social Chatter complete the main body of the field. Phantom Vision is the lone also-eligible.