Golden Pal may skip trip to York, race at Monmouth instead

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Golden Pal, beaten a neck in the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot in June, may skip a scheduled trip to York for the Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes on Aug. 19, trainer Wesley Ward said Monday.

Golden Pal, a maiden after two runner-up finishes, worked a very fast half-mile over the Oklahoma turf course in 48.29 seconds on Sunday. Ward said it was a bit quicker than he was looking for and said he would enter him Wednesday for Saturday’s $75,000 Tyro Stakes at Monmouth Park and decide later in the week whether to run there or make the overseas trip.

“He had a little bit too big of a work,” Ward said. “He broke off about 15 lengths behind Todd Pletcher’s pair and finished right up on their heels. He went way too fast for what I wanted to do. We’ll see where we’re at in the next few days.”

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Despite Golden Pal’s maiden status, he would most likely be a heavy favorite in the Tyro, run at five furlongs.

Ward shipped Golden Pal from Keeneland to Saratoga because Keeneland had shut down its turf course for the summer and because Golden Pal’s flight to York, scheduled for Sunday, would leave out of New York.

Ward shipped Campanelle, who won the Group 2 Queen Mary at Royal Ascot, from Keeneland to Arlington Park to continue training toward a planned start in the Group 1 Prix Morny on Aug. 23 at Deauville.