LEXINGTON, Ky. – Golden Pal did nothing Saturday at Keeneland to contradict trainer Wesley Ward’s assertion that the colt rates as the best horse he’s ever trained.   He was the best horse by a mile in the $317,657 Shakertown Stakes, winning by 4 3/4 lengths in another turf-sprinting tour de force in Golden Pal’s first start since winning the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint in November.   A trainer with a horse in the Shakertown said earlier this week that he’d never seen a Thoroughbred break as sharply as Golden Pal had winning the BC Turf Sprint. His Shakertown start might have been even better. In 20 strides, Golden Pal had three lengths on his closest rival. Golden Pal left from post 10. The horse outside him, Just Might, is very fast into stride, but he was left reeling by the sheer force of Golden Pal’s gate speed.   “He broke like a rocket out of there,” winning jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. said. “He’s amazing.”  :: Get DRF Betting Strategies for exclusive analysis and wager recommendations from our expert handicappers. Going solo down the backstretch and around the far turn, Golden Pal ($3.20) set published splits that somewhat defy belief, 20.94 and 43.58. He passed five furlongs in 55.64 and stopped the timer in 1:02.21 for 5 1/2 furlongs over a course rated “good” and getting a 109 Beyer Speed Figure. “He can hold the speed,” said Ortiz. “Some other horses are fast out of the gate, but they come back. He’s one of the best sprinters I ever rode.”  The raucous post-race trackside celebration came not from winning connections, but the group associated with 70-1 shot Johnny Unleashed, who chased Golden Pal the whole trip and held second by three-quarters of a length over Gear Jockey.   “He doesn’t mind getting beat,” said trainer Eric Foster. “He wants to show you that he can run second. He runs as hard as he can every race.”   Diamond Oops finished well for fourth and was followed across the finish by The Lir Jet, Just Might, Barraza, Natural Power, Chess Master, and Filo Di Arianna.  Four-year-old Golden Pal was bred in Florida by Randall Lowe and is owned by Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, and Michael Kuessner’s Westerberg. By Uncle Mo, Golden Pal is the first foal to race out of the Midshipman mare Lady Shipman, an excellent turf sprinter in her own right.  “He’s better this year than last year,” said Ward. “He’s just a special horse.” Golden Pal now is 6-2-0 from nine starts and comfortably rates as the best turf sprinter in North America. His connections have plans not constrained by this continent. Next up for Golden Pal is the Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes, a five-furlong straight-course sprint June 14 at Royal Ascot. Golden Pal twice has traveled to Europe but has come away winless. He was a close second two summers ago in the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot and last summer ran a tame seventh in the Nunthorpe Stakes at York.  “We’re really looking forward to getting him over to Ascot and showing what he can do over there,” Ward said.  Golden Pal could have a relatively quiet summer after the King’s Stand. The BC Turf Sprint here at Keeneland is the obvious autumn goal, but Ward said plans call for Golden Pal to end his career with a post-Breeders’ Cup trip to Australia.    “We’ll get through the Breeders’ Cup and then get him down there get him acclimated,” he said. “He’ll have at least have one race to show the breeders there what he can do.”  What Golden Pal did Saturday is what he has done in all six of his American turf sprints: Go the front and win.