Golden Pal turns back challengers, draws clear in Woodford Stakes

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Golden Pal hit his best stride and fended off challenges from both sides in the Grade 2, $200,000 Woodford Stakes on Saturday at Keeneland, a race that will have him striding back to the Breeders’ Cup as one of the favorites.

The Woodford was the only stakes race this weekend at Keeneland not designated as an automatic qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup; nevertheless, it does serve as one of the final major domestic preps for the BC Turf Sprint, set for Nov. 6 at Del Mar.

Golden Pal won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint last November at Keeneland, where he is based with Wesley Ward. He would become the first winner in three editions of that event, the newest Breeders’ Cup race, to start in the Turf Sprint later in his career.

Golden Pal's 2020 Breeders' Cup victory concluded a well-traveled 2-year-old campaign in which he was second by a neck to The Lir Jet in the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot and won the Skidmore Stakes at Saratoga. The Uncle Mo colt was away from the races for more than eight months after his Breeders’ Cup victory. In the interim, Coolmore, which stands Uncle Mo, and associates purchased the Florida-bred colt from breeder Randall Lowe.

Golden Pal returned in August under his new colors, wiring the field in the Grade 3 Quick Call Stakes at Saratoga. But about five weeks later, he was never in the bridle while finishing seventh, beaten less than five lengths, in the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes at York.

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“Wesley was baffled with the way he ran last time,” Coolmore’s Charlie O’Connor said. “It was a real baffler. He came out great.”

Golden Pal came out of the gate for the Woodford in great order, bouncing away from post 2 in the field of seven. With mild pressure from graded stakes winner Firecrow about a length back off his outside hip, he ticked off an opening quarter of 21.51 seconds, a quick split on a turf course officially rated good, but which had plenty of cut in it after several days of rain midweek in the Lexington area, including a heavy Thursday night thunderstorm.

Golden Pal hit the half-mile marker in 44.53 seconds with Firecrow advancing to put more pressure on from the outside. Johnny Unleashed also edged up on the inside to make a bid. With those top three separated by less than a length, jockey John Velazquez, aboard Golden Pal for the first time, experienced a brief moment of doubt as he learned the colt’s cues.

“I just kind of sat against him, thinking that when the other horse came to him he’d go on,” Velazquez said. “He didn’t go on [on his own] – I had to ask him. I didn’t move, he didn’t move. When I moved, he went on.”

Go on, he did. Golden Pal repelled his challengers on both sides in the final furlong and drew clear to the wire, finishing 2 1/4 lengths in front. He stopped the clock in 1:03.12 for 5 1/2 furlongs.

Extravagant Kid, the 8-year-old veteran making his first start after a summer abroad, rallied from fourth to be second by a half-length over a closing County Final.

“He never lets us down,” trainer Brendan Walsh said. “The winner’s a very good horse. He ran a very good second.”

Extravagant Kid was beaten just a length when fourth in the 2020 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Keeneland. In six starts this year, he has only missed the board once, posting a victory in the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint in Dubai and finishing a creditable third in the Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot.

His effort Saturday may have propelled him back to the Breeders’ Cup. Walsh said he would talk to owner David Ross of DARRS Inc., but noted, “why not?”

County Final won a photo by a head over a fading Johnny Unleashed for fourth. Inhalation, Firecrow, and Charcoal completed the order of finish.