Ward has Lady Hollywood, Shootoutthelights for Mamzelle Stakes
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LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The best younger turf sprint filly in the country might be Love Reigns, already a multiple stakes winner who is bound for the Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes against older males at next month’s Royal Ascot meet in England.
With her preparing for that overseas adventure, trainer Wesley Ward still has Lady Hollywood, beaten just a half-length by that stablemate last out, as well as the impressive debut winner Shootoutthelights for Wednesday's $225,000 Mamzelle Stakes for 3-year-old fillies sprinting on the Churchill Downs turf.
Lady Hollywood was making her second start in the U.S., but first for Ward, when she rallied to the lead, cleared the field, and was caught late by Love Reigns in the Limestone Stakes on April 14 at Keeneland. Lady Hollywood won the Group 3 Prix d’Arenberg last September in France, and was also a winner in Ireland and England for trainer Alice Haynes.
After finishing fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint in November at Keeneland, she was sold at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky fall selected horses of all ages sale for $600,000, and remained in the U.S. to compete for AMO Racing USA. She arrived in the Kentucky-based Ward’s barn shortly after the Breeders’ Cup, and got on the worktab in January at Turfway Park.
Lady Hollywood, who drew post 4 in this field of 10 under John Velazquez, earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 91 in the Limestone, among the highest for 3-year-old fillies this year at any distance or surface. To put the division into perspective, Botanical owns the top number in the prospective field for Friday’s Kentucky Oaks, also with a 91.
Also emerging from the Limestone are My Sweet Affair, who closed for third in just her second career start; Grade 3 winner American Apple, who finished fourth; stakes winner Sassy Nature, who finished fifth; and Accomplished Girl, who faded to seventh after setting the pace.
American Apple, who won the Grade 3 Matron Stakes last fall in New York, briefly led on the turn of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint before finishing sixth. The Limestone was her first start off a winter freshening.
“She got caught a little wide, but I thought it was a good race off the layoff,” trainer Daniel Leitch said.
American Apple will have to worry about getting hung wide again under Gerardo Corrales, breaking from the outside in the field of 10.
Accomplished Girl, who earned a 92 Beyer in her maiden win at Gulfstream, should flash her speed on the front end from post 2, but will likely have company up front from B G Warrior in post 6 and Ward’s Shootoutthelights, a 3 1/2-length debut winner on April 2 at Gulfstream, from post 8. Turfway stakes winner B G Warrior has been keeping good company in the likes of Botanical and Jill Jitterbug while placing in a pair of other stakes on that Tapeta.
Danse Macabre has also faced noteworthy company, finishing second to Love Reigns in the Bolton Landing at Saratoga; winning the Untapable Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs at Kentucky Downs; and finishing third in the Matron. She won the Grade 3 Herecomesthebride Stakes going a mile at Gulfstream in her 3-year-old debut, and now cuts back.
Peacock Lass, trying turf for the first time, and the maiden Anna's Arabesque complete the field.
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