Outadore strengthens Ward's hand with Juvenile Turf Sprint victory

High-level 2-year-old turf sprinters? Wesley Ward’s barn brims with them. Ward won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint in 2019 with Four Wheel Drive, has the early favorite, Golden Pal, for the 2020 BC Juvenile Turf Sprint, and on Saturday at Kentucky Downs ran one-two in the $500,000 Juvenile Turf Sprint with Outadore and Fauci.

Outadore, the narrow 9-5 favorite over Fauci, pounced on pacesetters County Final and Bodenheimer at the furlong grounds, drifted sharply to the inside, but was comfortably best, winning by about two lengths, under Irad Ortiz Jr. Cowan rallied late to win a photo finish for third.

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Outadore was making only his second start following his debut win over maiden turf sprinters July 26 at Saratoga. He raced prominently on Saturday, sitting outside and in the clear while third behind the battling duo up top, came to the leaders at the quarter pole and pushed past while appearing to shy from Ortiz’s right-handed stick once clear in the final half-furlong.

Fauci, who’d been second to Golden Pal in the Skidmore Stakes at Saratoga, raced outside in the flight of runners behind Outadore, followed his stablemate into the final furlong, briefly looked like he had a chance to win, but was outfinished by Outadore, who won going away.

Outadore is owned by Mike Hall and Sam Ross’s Breeze Easy LLC, the same group that campaigns Four Wheel Drive. Outadore, a $290,000 yearling purchase at the Keeneland 2019 September Sale, is by Outwork and out of the Tactical Cat mare, Adore You, who has produced Indiana-bred stakes winners Piedi Bianchi – who just won an allowance race at Indiana Grand this week – and Mind Reader.