Ward revises For All We Know's agenda

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - For All We Know, one of trainer John Ward's strong contingent of 3-year-old fillies stabled at Arlington Park, was to have shipped two weeks ago to New York for a prep race followed by a start in the June 25 Mother Goose Stakes at Belmont Park. But Ward called an audible, fearing the effects of a long van trip in hot weather, and kept For All We Know at Arlington, where she cruised to an easy five-length win in a second-level allowance race on Thursday.

The New York venture remains on the agenda. But Ward said Friday morning that For All We Know, now 3 for 3 after Thursday's win, would probably pass on the Mother Goose and instead be pointed toward the Coaching Club American Oaks at Belmont and the Alabama at Saratoga.

"It would be coming back in 16 days and that's kind of quick," said Ward, whose Chicago string is being overseen by former head trainer Sally Schu. "I'm kind of waffling on the Mother Goose."

For All We Know, purchased for $550,000 last year as a 2-year-old, debuted in a six-furlong race March 21 at Gulfstream with a narrow win over the highly regarded Talented. She won easily going 6 1/2 furlongs at Keeneland, and barely got out of a strong gallop here Thursday, scoring by five lengths in a one-turn mile. Her time of 1:35 was excellent, but the racing surface produced very fast times.

While For All We Know has yet to run in a two-turn race, Ward believes she will improve with added distance.

"You saw they way she won," Ward said. "We think she's going to be even better going a distance of ground."

While For All We Know stayed home, Seek a Star traveled to Belmont for the Grade 1 Acorn on June 4, but after three consecutive wins she failed to fire, finishing a distant last of six.

"She doesn't like shadows," Ward said. "She got to looking at the shadow of the inside rail."

Seek a Star has returned to Arlington, and Ward said he planned to gear her summer campaign around a start in the Grade 1 Test at Saratoga.

Happy Ticket ships for Chicago BC

The time has come for Happy Ticket to broaden her horizons. After eight races in the state of Louisiana, Happy Ticket hasn't yet been challenged, much less beaten, and on Saturday afternoon she was to leave the state of her birth and head north to Arlington for next Saturday's Grade 3, $175,000 Chicago Breeders' Cup Handicap.

"She's been beating these horses so easily, we decided she deserves a chance against some of the better fillies," said Andy Leggio, who trains Happy Ticket for owner-breeder Stewart Madison. "We would like to get her graded-stakes placed - or to win."

Winning is what Happy Ticket's all about. She debuted about a year ago at Louisiana Downs, winning an open maiden race by almost 10 lengths, and Happy Ticket roared through Louisiana-bred stakes races, winning five of them, from dirt sprints to a turf route. Happy Ticket came up with a tender ankle over the winter at Fair Grounds, and Leggio said he stopped training her completely to let the injury heal. Ninety days after she resumed routine exercise, Happy Ticket cruised to another blowout win, this time over open stakes horses in the six-furlong Suthern Accent on May 14 at Louisiana Downs.

"Up to this point, we don't even know what she's best at," Leggio said. "She's done everything we've asked her to. She won't get disgraced up there in that race, I can tell you that."

Happy Ticket, due in at Arlington early Sunday morning, will walk the shed row a couple days, then gallop up to Saturday's race. Jockey Eddie Razo has the mount, Leggio said.

The Chicago BC will provide a real measure of Happy Ticket's ability. As of Friday, the race had a strong prospective field of six or seven, headed by the Grade 1 winner My Trusty Cat.

Slew Slayer fits snugly in feature

As well as Slew Slayer ran May 30 in a third-level turf allowance race here, he should be difficult to beat in Sunday's feature, a second-level allowance carded for nine furlongs on grass.

Slew Slayer, trained by Ed Beam, was stakes-placed last year at 3, and hadn't raced in six months when he started above his allowance conditions two weeks ago. After setting the pace, Slew Slayer tired in deep stretch, but held on well to finish fourth and should move forward Sunday.

Seven others were entered for grass, with two main-track-only horses. If the race remains on grass, it should feature a solid, contested pace, with a stalker such as Slew Slayer or Public Official likely to benefit.