Ward fillies strong contenders in both juvenile stakes

Wesley Ward holds a strong hand in the Tyro and Colleen stakes at Monmouth Park on Saturday. The $60,000 races for 2-year-olds are scheduled for five furlongs on turf.

There is a chance of thunderstorms along the Jersey Shore both Thursday and Friday, and possible showers Saturday morning.

Ward has entered the fillies Stillwater Cove and Two Shakes against males in the Tyro, and has Mae Never No in the Colleen. Jose Ferrer, who leads the Monmouth rider standings, is named on Stillwater Cove and Mae Never No. Eric Cancel has the mount on first-time starter Two Shakes.

Stillwater Cove is fast. She opened up a sizable lead in her debut before holding on to win by a nose. Sent to Royal Ascot for her next start, she set the pace in the Group 3 Albany Stakes before tiring to finish 13th of 18.

Two Shakes, a daughter of Exchange Rate out of the Dynaformer mare Perfectforthepart, is a full sister to the stakes-winning fillies Sunset Glow and Defiantly.

In 2014, Sunset Glow won a Belmont Park maiden race, finished second in the Albany at Ascot, won the Grade 2 Sorrento and Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante, and finished second to Lady Eli in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. Like Two Shakes, she was trained by Ward and owned by the Ten Broeck Farm of Orintha and Phil Silva.

Two Shakes, a $310,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase on behalf of Ten Broeck, has been working steadily since late May and has turned in several quick three-furlong breezes.

Other contenders include the modest yearling buys Successful Zip, who is trained by Pat McBurney; Tybalt, who is conditioned by Claudio Gonzalez; and Carotari, who won his debut at Santa Anita and has since been transferred to Brian Lynch.

Mae Never No is clearly the filly to beat in the Colleen. She won her debut at Belmont in May and then finished third against males in the $150,000 Tremont during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival.

Mae Never No came from just off the pace in the Tremont to open a sizable lead in upper stretch. She flattened out late to be beaten 1 1/2 lengths by Our Braintrust, who is 2 for 2, and Sombeyay, who in his next start won the Grade 3 Sanford at Saratoga.

The Tremont fourth-place finisher Sir Truebadour returned to win the Bashford Manor at Churchill Downs.

Mae Never Know should hit hard in the Colleen against an easier group of fillies.

Creedibility, who came from several lengths off the pace to win her debut at Delaware Park by three-quarters of a length, will be first-time-Lasix in the Colleen for trainer Anthony Pecoraro. The runner-up in Creedibility’s debut came back to win a Delaware maiden race by 2 3/4 lengths.

Margie Is Livid finished third in her first two starts, both in Maryland, then won her turf debut last time out at Laurel Park. She is trained by Cal Lynch.

Grandma Gertie romped by 7 1/4 lengths as the 6-5 favorite at Parx for trainer Eddie Coletti Jr. in her career debut.

Trainer Tom Albertrani sent Avocado Toast from Belmont Park to Monmouth for a good-looking maiden victory on turf July 8, and brings her back in for the Colleen.