Ward sending eight horses to Royal Ascot

Ten American-based horses, eight for trainer Wesley Ward plus two others, form the American contingent headed to races at Royal Ascot in England next month.

In addition to Ward’s octet, Extravagant Kid, trained by Brendan Walsh, and Artos, trained by Rusty Arnold, are intended starters in Royal Ascot races. Neither trainer has started a horse in England, while Ward is an annual participant – and regular winner – at the Royal meet, which runs this year from June 15-19.

Six 2-year-olds, 3-year-old filly Campanelle, and 4-year-old Maven make up Ward’s group. Maven, who got a 104 Beyer Speed Figure winning a Keeneland turf-sprint allowance race April 14, races Tuesday, June 15 in the five-furlong King’s Stand Stakes, with John Velazquez named to ride. Also racing on the Tuesday program is Napa Spirit, who won an April 21 maiden turf sprint at Keeneland and goes in the six-furlong Coventry Stakes with jockey Joel Rosario.

The following day Ward runs Ruthin in the five-furlong Queen Mary Stakes, a race Ward has won three of the last six years. Ruthin, to be ridden by Rosario, aired by six lengths April 22 at Keeneland in a maiden turf sprint. In the five-furlong Windsor Castle on the same card, Ward starts Twilight Gleaming, second debuting on dirt at Keeneland in April but an open-lengths winner of a Belmont turf-sprint maiden on May 9. Irad Ortiz Jr., Ward said, has a call on Twilight Gleaming.

:: Get Daily Racing Form Past Performances - the exclusive home of Beyer Speed Figures

Thursday, Ward has Lucci and Nakatomi for the five-furlong Norfolk, which is part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge series offering a fees-paid entry into the BC Juvenile Turf Sprint. Lucci, the mount of Velazquez, debuted May 9 at Belmont and won a turf maiden race by three lengths. Nakatomi (Rosario to ride) debuted on a wet Keeneland dirt surface April 14 and won easily.

On Friday, Ward starts Campanelle in the Commonwealth Stakes, a six-furlong, straight-course dash for 3-year-olds. Campanelle, Frankie Dettori to ride, won the 2020 Queen Mary as well as the Group 1 Prix Morny in France before Ward stretched her to a two-turn mile in the BC Juvenile Fillies Turf, where Campanelle finished fourth in her most recent race. Golden Bell (Rosario) runs in the six-furlong Albany for 2-year-old fillies.

Ward’s stock, as they have in recent years, ship into the English National Stud. The flight carrying the 10 Americans leaves either June 1 or June 3 from Cincinnati.

“I think I’m bringing some quality horses over. If you can win one out there every year, you’re really doing something,” Ward said.

Artos finished second to Ruthin in their common debut at Keeneland before scoring a remarkable turf-sprint maiden victory of her own May 21 at Churchill. The inside leader to the quarter pole, Artos dropped back and appeared to be fading from contention before switching outside and rallying to just nip the Ward-trained favorite Overbore. Artos’s dam, Shimmer Moment, is a sister to elite turf sprinters Stormy Liberal and Leinster.

Extravagant Kid shipped to Dubai and won the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint on March 27, the first American-based horse to win a Group 1 grass race in Dubai. Walsh has designs on the five-furlong King’s Stand on opening day is and is keeping an open mind toward the six-furlong Diamond Jubilee on closing day, June 19.