Onthewaytonevrland wins Rushaway Stakes; Hawaiian Noises takes Animal Kingdom

FLORENCE, Ky. – Before shifting his tack to more-prominent racetracks, most recently in Southern California, Rafael Bejarano was a leading jockey at Turfway Park during the early to mid-2000s. Returning on Saturday for Jeff Ruby Day, he picked up at Turfway where he left off, winning two of the first three stakes on the afternoon, the $75,000 DRFBets Rushaway and the $50,000 Animal Kingdom.

Both victories came for trainer Wesley Ward, first with Hawaiian Noises in the Animal Kingdom and later with Onthewaytonevrland in the Rushaway.

Onthewaytonevrland was the flashier of the two winners, drawing off to win by 3 1/2 lengths. A well-traveled 3-year-old gelding who had won a maiden race at Gulfstream on Dec. 12 before a runner-up finish at Santa Anita on Feb. 10, he transitioned from grass racing to effectively race over Turfway’s synthetic Polytrack surface.

A son of No Nay Never owned by Ice Wine Stables, Onthewaytonevrland prompted the leader, took command on the second turn of the 1 1/16-mile race and, after turning back a bid from Faraway Kitten at the head of the lane, powered away from his rivals. He completed 1 1/16 miles in 1:45.59, paying $4 as the favorite.

Longshot Bundibunan rallied to grab second, 2 3/4 lengths in front of Faraway Kitten, who flattened out to be third. Disappointing in his seasonal bow was Federal Law, the 5-2 second choice, who ran last of nine after encountering early traffic.

Onthewaytonevrland’s victory came an hour after Bejarano initially returned to the Turfway winner’s circle after guiding Hawaiian Noises to a hard-fought victory in the Animal Kingdom, a race named in honor of the 2011 Kentucky Derby winner who won the Jeff Ruby that year when it was called the Spiral.

Impeded at the start, Hawaiian Noises recovered to chase the pace of front-running Thunderous Gem and gradually wore down that rival to score by three-quarters of a length. A 3-year-old son of Super Saver owned by Ward, he raced 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:18.61, paying $5 as the favorite.

“It was really tough. I mean, I had to check pretty sharp [out of the gate],” Bejarano said.

Thunderous Gem, the lone filly among a cast of males, was a clear second, 4 1/2 lengths in front of third-place Artemus Bridge.

• Sandwiched between the Animal Kingdom and the Rushaway on Turfway’s six-stakes card, Princess Warrior, the winner of last year’s Grade 2 Mrs. Revere, kicked off her 4-year-old campaign by decisively winning the $75,000 Latonia Stakes under a ground-saving ride from Brian Hernandez Jr.

Eighth of 12 early, she advanced into fifth down the backstretch before taking command on the second of two turns and drawing off in the stretch. A daughter of Midshipman, she won by 3 3/4 lengths despite being geared down at the finish, racing a mile in 1:38.67. The 9-5 favorite, she returned $5.80.

“She was the best horse in the race,” Hernandez said. “It was just a matter of letting her develop underneath me and give her the best, clean trip possible.”

Winning trainer Kenny McPeek was understandably pleased. “Taking them from 3-year-olds to 4-year-olds, you have to step up that ladder, and this was a really good spot for her,” he said.

Eqho edged out Silent Sonet by a nose for the place.