Rain could be good news for Ward in Churchill feature

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Memorial Day weekend is supposed to be very nice in the Louisville area, but before then, not so much. A high chance of rain was forecast Wednesday through Friday, meaning turf racing was in jeopardy for the Thursday and Friday cards at Churchill Downs.

That’s actually good news for Wesley Ward, whose uncoupled pair of Red Ghost and Tiz Splendid News in the Friday feature would stand to benefit from a surface switch. Both 4-year-old fillies fare best on dirt: Red Ghost won the Miss Preakness at Pimlico a little more than a year ago, while Tiz Splendid News has won her last two starts when reaching peak form.

The Ward duo are among seven older fillies and mares in the only allowance on a nine-race Friday card that starts at 12:45 p.m. Eastern. The third-level allowance (race 8) will be run at 5 1/2 furlongs, turf or dirt, with all seven starters being eligible for the sizable Kentucky-bred bonuses included in a $141,000 purse.

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Red Ghost, bred and owned by Doug Scharbauer, wintered in Kentucky, where she was defeated as an odds-on favorite in a couple of well-spaced allowances on Tapeta at Turfway Park. It’s her efforts over dirt last year at 3 that would make her a major player if this race has to be transferred.

“She won an allowance at Keeneland before we won the Miss Preakness with her,” noted Ward, “and those were some pretty nice fillies she faced in the Victory Ride,” the Grade 3 race in which she finished fourth in July over the Belmont Park main track.

Tiz Splendid News is a main-track-only designate for this, and with good reason. The daughter of Maclean’s Music has been terrific this year in knocking out her first two allowance conditions in as many tries, first at Gulfstream Park, then at Keeneland, both on dirt.

“She’s come back a new filly this year,” said Ward. “Her head’s really in the game.”

Red Ghost will be ridden by Gerardo Corrales and Tiz Splendid News by Tyler Gaffalione, the leading jockey at the spring meet.

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If the race stays on turf, then Risky Reward and A G Indy would have to be considered the deserving favorites. But if it comes off – as seems likely, given how cautiously Churchill officials have proceeded with a new $10 million turf course being used for the first time this spring – then this could be all about Ward.