Heart attack doesn't stop Ward
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Though he has spent the last several weeks in the hospital recovering from a heart attack, trainer Dennis Ward’s barn hasn’t missed a beat.
When Bahamian Moon won an off-the-turf allowance/optional $32,000 claiming race on Saturday, it was Ward’s ninth win from 27 starters at the meet. Three of those wins have been supplied by Bahamian Moon, an 8-year-old mare who has won 12 of 51 career starts. Since the meet began last November, Bahamian Moon has three wins, two seconds, and a third in six starts.
“How about her? She’s something else. They can’t beat her,” Ward said.
How about Ward? He spoke by phone Sunday from a Tampa hospital, from which he was discharged on Monday morning. Ward said he’s spent the last three weeks in the hospital after suffering a heart attack. Ward, 78, sounded as feisty as ever when he spoke about the future.
“Discharged today and, believe me, we’re going to get after it,” Ward said.
Ward acknowledged his assistant, Jeanne Shand, for keeping things running while he recovered.
“She’s been doing it all,” Ward said.
On Wednesday, Ward and Shand send out Era, who is looking for her fourth win of the meet. Era won three straight conditioned claiming races at the $16,000 level going one mile, but her streak ended when she finished eighth for $16,000 going 1 3/8 miles on March 22. She is back at one mile in Wednesday’s sixth, though this is a competitive spot.
Ward said that when the Tampa meet ends next month, he expects to have a string at Colonial Downs.
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