Golden Pal burning bright in bid for Woodford repeat

LEXINGTON, Ky. – If a well-fought win in his most recent outing in August took anything out of Golden Pal, his recent training has not shown it. Golden Pal breezed a solid five furlongs in 1:00.80 on his home turf course at Keeneland last weekend, a move that had his connections smiling.

“Really, really good – I was excited,” trainer Wesley Ward said. “Julio Garcia, his regular exercise rider, called me after the breeze all excited. Said he came bouncing off the track, ears pricked, looking all around there. He’s ready for his next couple races.”

The first of those races comes as Golden Pal, unbeaten in North American stakes, looms a huge favorite in a field of nine turf sprinters for the Grade 2, $350,000 Woodford Stakes on Saturday at Keeneland. The colt won the 2020 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint on this course, won the 2021 Woodford en route to winning last year’s Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Del Mar, and will attempt to double in the same races this fall.

Golden Pal opened this season with a dazzling win in the Grade 2 Shakertown at Keeneland’s spring meet, blitzing out of the gate with his characteristic early speed and running the field into the ground by 4 3/4 lengths, earning a career-high 110 Beyer Speed Figure. But he uncharacteristically broke poorly in the Group 1 King’s Stand at the Royal Ascot meeting in England and was never involved, finishing 16th.

When Golden Pal returned to training in the United States, Ward had both Garcia and regular jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. work Golden Pal from behind horses. It paid off in the Grade 3 Troy Stakes on Aug. 5 at Saratoga. Golden Pal was off a step slowly but rated kindly in third before edging a game True Valour by a head in the stretch.

“He’s got a brilliant mind, this horse, and takes everything in, but he knew it was race day,” Ward said. “The plan was, unless he broke super sharp, that I’d like him to come from behind. Irad worked him from behind, so he knew he could do it. Julio Garcia, our main rider at home, works him from behind every week. I’m glad he showed a little versatility.”

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Golden Pal and Ortiz will break from post 4 in the Woodford. If he does assume his typical spot on the lead, the most likely candidate to provide pace pressure is Artemus Citylimits, outside him in post 7 with Tyler Gaffalione in the irons. The gelding showed the way in the Grade 2 Turf Sprint at Kentucky Downs before being edged by a neck to finish second.

Gear Jockey won last year’s Turf Sprint at Kentucky Downs. He has been given a freshening since finishing 10th in the Grade 1 Jaipur in June at Belmont.

All in Sync, Charcoal, and Bad Beat Brian swept the trifecta in the Turf Sprint at Ellis Park. All in Sync has made one start since, finishing ninth in the Grade 2 Franklin-Simpson at Kentucky Downs.

Oceanic is coming off a win in the Da Hoss at Colonial Downs, with fellow Woodford entrant County Final rallying for fourth – moved up to third by a disqualification – after being bumped at the break. County Final has chased Golden Pal home several times, including finishing third in the 2021 Woodford.

Rounding out the field is Cadamosto, who was second in the Mahony at Saratoga in his first start in the United States.

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