LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Golden Pal is the undisputed leader of the North American turf sprint ranks. The 2021 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint winner picked up right where he left off with a 4 3/4-length victory in the Grade 2 Shakertown Stakes on April 9 at Keeneland. “He’s just an exceptional horse,” said trainer Brendan Walsh, who trains Shakertown fifth-place finisher The Lir Jet. “He makes us all look ordinary.” While Golden Pal, who trainer Wesley Ward calls the best he’s ever had, awaits a race at the renowned Royal Ascot meeting next month, the horses who finished second through sixth behind him meet again in Friday’s Grade 2, $500,000 Twin Spires Turf Sprint at Churchill Downs. The Twin Spires immediately precedes the Kentucky Oaks, as race 10 of 13. Johnny Unleashed chased Golden Pal throughout to be second in the Shakertown. Also in action in the race were Gear Jockey in third, Diamond Oops in fourth, The Lir Jet, and Just Might in sixth. Johnny Unleashed, who would again like to be forwardly placed, is drawn in post 12 in the field of 13, meaning jockey Gerardo Corrales will hope to drop in down the backstretch to avoid being hung wide on the turn. Meanwhile, Walsh was pleased with his draw in post 2 for the late-running The Lir Jet. :: Get Daily Racing Form Past Performances – the exclusive home of Beyer Speed Figures “He got a good draw,” Walsh said. “He was a little slow the last day out of the gate – hopefully he can pick up off that. You take out Wesley’s horse, he wasn’t beaten too far for second.” The Lir Jet, who defeated Golden Pal by a neck in the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot in 2020, when both were juveniles, won the Grade 2 Franklin-Simpson at Kentucky Downs last September in his first start for Walsh. He did not run again until the Shakertown, where just more than 1 1/2 lengths covered the second- through sixth-place finishers. He will likely be tighter for his second outing off the layoff. “We weren’t awful hard on him going into the Shakertown,” Walsh said. “So for sure, I think he did [need the race]. I think there’s some improvement there. Umberto Rispoli has the mount. The consistent Caravel won three stakes last year, including the Grade 3 Caress at Saratoga. The mare won her season debut, and first start for Brad Cox, in the Queen Stakes on Turfway’s Tapeta in March. She posted a Beyer Speed Figure of 96, tied with Pyron – who is coming off a hard-charging win in the Colonel Power Stakes at Fair Grounds – as the top last-out number in this field. Caravel is drawn in post 3 under Tyler Gaffalione, and should show some speed from there. The mare is sitting on go, having fired three straight bullet works, including two over the new Churchill Downs turf course, showing an affinity for the footing. “She was out there the first morning it was open for works, and she breezed fantastic,” Cox said. “She’s doing well, very happy. I like the time between the Turfway race and this, it seemed to be setting up well.” :: Get Derby Clocker Reports from Mike Welsch and the DRF Clocker Team to access exclusive insights from the morning workouts Caravel and Johnny Unleashed will be key early factors in a race that looks to have plenty of speed. Other entrants who prefer to run on or close to the lead include Ward’s representative, graded stakes winner Arrest Me Red; Bran, who is coming off a win in the Siren Lure; the well-traveled Cowan; and the versatile Just Might, winner of seven stakes in 2021, more than any other horse in North America. The Lir Jet and Gregorian Chant, a fellow graded stakes winner, would be among those to benefit from a contested pace. Gear Jockey, a graded winner last September at Kentucky Downs, would like to be stalking from just off that pace.