HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – For a very long time, no trainer has dominated 2-year-old racing during the spring like Wesley Ward, although he has yet to have success in the two Royal Palm stakes at Gulfstream Park since the inception of the races three years ago. But Ward is confident that will not be the case on Saturday, when he sends out Skara Brae as the overwhelming favorite in the $125,000 Royal Palm Juvenile and Joker’s Chic as a key contender in the $125,000 Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies. Both five-furlong turf sprints offer the winner an automatic berth into one of the six 2-year-old races at the upcoming Royal Ascot meet along with a $25,000 travel stipend. “We’ve underachieved in this series up to now, but these are by far the best horses I’ve ever sent to the Royal Ascot previews down there,” Ward said by phone from Kentucky earlier in the week. Skara Brae, a daughter of Golden Pal, will take on males for the second time in the Royal Palm after running to her 1-4 backing winning her debut by 4 1/2 lengths over the main track last month at Keeneland. “She ran like we expected the first time,” said Ward. “I had her over at Churchill last week just as a backup, in case of a late scratch, for my other filly [Waggley], who won the stakes. I shipped her right down to Gulfstream the next day and she worked well over the track [Tuesday]. She’s by Golden Pal, so I think she’s going to love the turf.” :: Access the most trusted data and information in horse racing! DRF Past Performances and Picks are available now. Ward admitted Joker’s Chic was a bit of a disappointment finishing a tiring fourth as the even-money favorite when debuting at Keeneland four weeks ago. He expects her to rebound in a big way when switching to the grass. “She breezed freakishly on the turf at Palm Meadows prior to the first start,” said Ward. “The track was a little sandy at Keeneland that day and I’m thinking she’s strictly a turf horse. I expect her to run a monster race over the grass down there.” Ward originally named international riding star Joao Moreira on both horses with an eye toward also using him at Ascot if either youngster qualifies. According to Ward, Moreira had trouble getting out of Hong Kong in time to make the races and that Joe Bravo will pick up the two mounts here Saturday. Skara Brae will face seven rivals in the Juvenile, including Automatic Press for trainer George Weaver, who has won three of the first six Royal Palm series races, including this event a year ago with first-time starter Sandal’s Song. Automatic Press is the only youngster in either stakes to have already had a race on the grass, finishing a tiring fifth going 5 1/2 furlongs in a maiden special weight won by Tolstoy at Keeneland on April 23. “He was a bit green when I ran him the first time but I always thought he’d be a horse who would improve with a race under his belt. And the ground had a little give in it that day,” Weaver said. “The plan was to get him a race [on the grass] and then bring him back to Florida for this one.” Celtic Dispute, a game second at first asking over the main track, and the promising Omaha Forty, who has trained extremely well on both turf and Tapeta for his debut, also loom key contenders in the Juvenile. Joker’s Chic drew the rail in a field of nine set to go postward in the Juvenile Fillies, with Pot’s Right, who she finished far behind in their previous meeting at Keeneland, strictly the one to beat. Pot’s Right overcame a slow start and wide trip to win her career bow by 1 1/4 lengths and has continued to work forwardly coming out of the race for trainer Philip Antonacci, including a half-mile on the grass around the wide dogs in 52.20 seconds last weekend at Palm Meadows. :: Get the Inside Track with the FREE DRF Morning Line Email Newsletter. Subscribe now.  “She was very professional in her first start, Tyler [Gaffalione] loved her, and hopefully she can repeat that race over the turf on Saturday,” said Antonacci. “Her work on the grass was really good. The dogs were all the way out. She completed her final quarter in 22 and 4 and seemed to handle it well. “She didn’t break sharp the first time, but should be better with the experience and she’s got Luis [Saez] aboard, and he’s always great from the gate. Hopefully she’ll be able to sit off the pace and mow ’em down like she did the last time.” Weaver will be represented in the Juvenile Fillies by Easy Life, a well-bred daughter of Life Is Good who will be making her career debut. “I’m not sure about the turf, but she’s doing well and has shown some gas in the morning,” said Weaver. Boots also figures to take plenty of support after winning her debut by 3 1/2 lengths over the main track for trainer Jorge Delgado here on April 16. With Delgado having since shipped to Monmouth Park, Boots will make her stakes debut for Carlos David, who also trains a string locally for the filly’s owner-breeder, Arindel. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.