Red Ghost comes back on after appearing beaten in Miss Preakness

BALTIMORE - As Red Ghost gamely battled back along the inside to win a thrilling three-horse photo finish by the slimmest of margins in the Grade 3, $150,000 Miss Preakness Stakes at Pimlico on Friday, winning trainer Wesley Ward was reminded of another sprinting filly by Breeders' Cup Classic winner Ghostzapper.

"My first really good filly that I owned, Judy the Beauty, was by Ghostzapper," said Ward by telephone. "I love Ghostzapper."

Judy the Beauty, the female sprint champion of 2014, won five graded stakes races for Ward, including the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint.

Ward felt that Red Ghost had potential from the very start.

"She was always a beautiful filly and showed some really good ability early on. Robbie Davis worked her a couple of times on the turf. He used to work Judy the Beauty for me and he told me that this was my next Judy the Beauty."

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Red Ghost, the 2-1 favorite in the six-furlong Miss Preakness, broke alertly and sparred inside of Euphoric through an opening quarter of 22.88 seconds as Joyful Cadence tracked menacingly in third. Meanwhile, Street Lute, Juror Number Four, Paradise Song, and Prodigy Doll all had various traffic issues leaving the gate in the field of eight 3-year-old fillies.

Euphoric poked a head in front after a half-mile in 45.80 and Joyful Cadence joined her from the three path. Meanwhile, Red Ghost seemed in hot water and dropped a full length behind.

"I think even Johnny kind of gave up on her there at the eighth pole when they went by her," Ward said. "He was looking around and making sure that she was gonna get third and he gave her one little reminder and away she took off again."

She certainly did.

In an instant, Joyful Cadence started hanging, Euphoric began to get leg-weary, and Red Ghost surged by them both to get her nose down on the line. She completed the six furlongs in 1:10.53 seconds and paid $6.20 to win. Red Host earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 83.

Red Ghost was Velazquez's second of three stakes wins on the Friday card.

"I think it's all Johnny V. there," Ward remarked about the stretch run. "I can't take any of that credit. They run like hell for that guy for all these years. They just keep running, don't they?"

Red Ghost is now 3 for 4 in her career and Ward is looking forward to her future.

"We're gonna get her back to Keeneland here tomorrow or the next day, and give her a nice rest. I thought I came back a little quick for this race so we'll give her a good rest."

Ward mentioned the Grade 1, $500,000 Test Stakes at Saratoga on Aug. 7 as the main goal for Red Ghost. A potential next start could be the Grade 3, $150,000 Victory Ride at Belmont on July 10.

Euphoric wheeled back in two weeks following a 10th-place finish in the Grade 3 Eight Belles at Churchill Downs and rebounded quite nicely to stave off Joyful Cadence by a head in the stretch.

Joyful Cadence looked the winner at the eighth pole, but couldn't seal the deal.

"No excuses," said jockey Irad Ortiz Jr.

Completing the order of finish were Juror Number Four; Abrogate, who threw a fit in the starting gate and twice unseated jockey Ricardo Santana Jr.; Street Lute; Paradise Song; and Prodigy Doll.

Xavier Perez, the rider of 2020 Maryland-bred juvenile filly champion Street Lute, claimed foul against Javier Castellano aboard Euphoric alleging interference leaving the gate. No action was taken.