Pair of Ward juveniles settle for allowance
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DEL MAR, Calif. – A 1-2 finish by Bacio and Rogue Legend is within reason in Sunday’s fifth race for 2-year-olds turf sprinters at Del Mar.
This was not the intended goal this weekend for the pair, both trained by Wesley Ward. They were marooned on the also-eligible list of Friday’s $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint.
“We were hoping,” Ward said of potential starts on Friday.
Instead, Bacio and Rogue Legend may dominate Sunday’s allowance race at five furlongs, which drew a field of seven. The allowance race is part of a nine-race program that includes a carryover of $28,807 in the $2 pick six.
Bacio, owned by a partnership led by the MyRacehorse syndicate, is the quicker of the pair. In his last start, the second of his career, Bacio set the pace in the $103,500 Speakeasy Stakes at five furlongs on turf at Santa Anita and was beaten a half-length by Later Than Planned.
“Bacio got away a step slow and rushed up and overtook” the leaders, Ward said. “He’s learning.”
Rogue Legend, owned by John Stewart’s Resolute Racing, has won 2 of 6 starts. He won a maiden race at five furlongs at Cork Racecourse in May in his second start, when trained by Pat Twomey. Rogue Legend was third in the Winsdor Castle at Royal Ascot in Britain in June in his final start in Europe.
With Ward, Rogue Legend has finished third in two starts at 5 1/2 furlongs on turf – by 6 1/2 lengths in the $129,800 Rosies Stakes at Colonial Downs on Sept. 6, and by three-quarters of a length in the $300,000 Indian Summer Stakes at Keeneland on Oct. 5.
Rogue Legend races as a closer.
“I think they’re both turf sprinters,” Ward said. “They kind of complement each other. If they go fast up front, the other one will be coming along.”
The race has four other runners with stakes experience.
Arkadelphia, who drew the outside post, may challenge Bacio for the lead. Arkadelphia was a well-beaten third in the Royal Palm Juvenile Stakes at five furlongs on turf at Gulfstream Park in his first start in May, but only eighth of 12 in the Speakeasy after racing near the front in the first half-mile.
The filly Queen Bay starts on Sunday after finishing fifth by 3 3/4 lengths in the Speakeasy. Trained by Simon Callaghan, Queen Bay will be fitted with blinkers for the first time.
In Sunday’s seventh race, Spycatcher can win his second allowance race on turf in his last three starts for Muir Hut Stables and trainer Mark Glatt.
Spycatcher won an allowance at 1 1/16 miles at Del Mar on Aug. 17. He followed with a third-place finish by 1 1/2 lengths in the Grade 2 John Henry Turf Championship at 1 1/4 miles on Sept. 27. Spycatcher led in the stretch of that field before finishing behind Gold Phoenix, who was entered in Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup Turf.
The seventh race will be run at 1 3/8 miles on turf and drew a field of six, including the millionaire Balnikhov, a four-time stakes winner who is entered to be claimed for $100,000. Balnikhov is winless in nine starts since the Grade 3 Dinner Party Stakes at Pimlico in May 2024.
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