Lady Aurelia turns in final U.S. work for Nunthorpe Stakes

Elite grass sprinter Lady Aurelia, the winner of the Group 1 King’s Stand at Royal Ascot on June 20, is ready for another British invasion after working an effortless five furlongs in 1:02 on the Keeneland turf Tuesday as she prepares for the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes at York on Aug. 25.

Trainer Wesley Ward, reached by telephone Tuesday in New York, where he was attending the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga selected yearling sale, was thrilled with her breeze, in which she outworked Grade 1-winning older horse Hootenanny under a hammerlock from jockey Julio Garcia.

“That’s what you want to see before you get on the plane,” he said.

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Set to fly to Britain on Wednesday, she will complete her final preparations for the Nunthorpe overseas, with Ward following a training schedule similar to the one he used prior to her King’s Stand victory. He plans to give her an open gallop there and, weather permitting, a “quick move” on Aug. 19 with Frankie Dettori up.

Dettori, who missed riding her in the King’s Stand due to injury, has the mount in the Nunthorpe, where Lady Aurelia is expected to face a budding European sprint star in Battaash. Most overseas bookmakers currently have Lady Aurelia, last year’s champion European 2-year-old filly, as the 3-2 antepost favorite, with Battaash a close second choice at around 2-1.

Two other horses Ward worked Tuesday on the grass at Keeneland – the aforementioned Hootenanny and Con Te Partiro, who won the Sandringham at Royal Ascot on June 21 – are headed to California for their next starts. Ward said Hootenanny is being pointed for the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile on Aug. 20 and Con Te Partiro to the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks on Aug. 19.