Lady Aurelia pulls off rare feat

LEXINGTON, Ky. – After Lady Aurelia prevailed Saturday in the Giant’s Causeway Stakes, she had racing historians wondering about the last time a 3-year-old had defeated older rivals so early in the year in a North American stakes of consequence.

“The only time I know of was when we won the Giant’s Causeway with Holiday Kitten [in 2011],” said Wesley Ward, who trains Lady Aurelia for Stonestreet Stables and partners. “You don’t see it happen because people usually don’t want to try it.”

Ward said he now will “back off a little” in his training of Lady Aurelia before gearing her back up for a return to the Royal Ascot meet in England. Lady Aurelia won the Group 2 Queen Mary there last year and will make her next start in the Group 1 King’s Stand on June 20. Ward said the filly will leave for England about two weeks out on a direct flight from Indianapolis.

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