Chi Town Lady in a gallop at Keeneland. (Coady Photography)
Whatchatalkinabout to bypass Tremont for $200K Funny Cide
NYRA Notes/Edited
ELMONT, N.Y. – On Thursday, Trainer Wesley will be represented by Castleton Lyons’ homebred Chi Town Lady, who captured last year’s Grade 1 Longines Test at Saratoga, in a seven-furlong allowance optional claimer on the main track.
The 4-year-old daughter of Verrazano was third in her 2023 debut on April 14 at Keeneland, contesting allowance optional claiming company going 6 1/2 furlongs on the main track. The race saw runner-up Cheetara post a massive upset in the next out Skipat on May 20 at Pimlico Race Course.
“The speed maybe got away from her a little bit and she came charging at them,” Ward said of her last effort. “We’ve been looking for a nice allowance to get her back on track.”
Ward said the plan was to keep her in training for her 4-year-old season.
“We figured a lot of the better fillies would retire, which they have,” Ward said. “She’s a very, very sound filly. She’s never had an issue in her life. I don’t even remember a time where she was been sick. She’s just a great filly. She’s really developed and matured into that big frame she has. I’m looking for a good year for her and hopefully we can kick it off in here.”
Chi Town Lady, who breaks from post 2 in rein to Joel Rosario, is out of the dual stakes-placed Harlan’s Holiday mare Toni’s Hollyday.
In the Thursday opener, a five-furlong turf maiden for juvenile fillies, Ward will debut the promising Precisely for owners Three Chimneys Farm and Turf Stable Racing. The daughter of More Than Ready has impressed Ward in her training leading up to her debut.
“She’s shown some eye-opening works at Keeneland,” Ward said. “She came up from Nick DeMeric in Florida. She went from Ocala to here and now Belmont. From what she’s shown me in the morning and what the DeMerics told me prior to her coming to me, she’s always been very well meant. I’m happy to get her started.”
A Kentucky homebred, Precisely is out of the Data Link mare High Quest, whose fourth dam is prolific broodmare Maplejinsky.
Ward has opted to skip the upcoming $150,000 Tremont at Belmont Park with debut maiden winning 2-year-old Whatchatalkinabout in favor of more time to train for the $200,000 Funny Cide presented by Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital on August 27 at Saratoga Race Course.
Ice Win Stable’s Whatchatalkinabout, bred in New York by Newtown Anner Stud, defeated fellow state-bred juveniles on May 12 when travelling five furlongs over the Belmont main track.
Ward said he wants to allow the young horse time to develop before his next start.
“I told Dave Reid, the owner of Ice Wine Stable, that the race would be very tempting, but he’s a big colt, and easy going on himself,” Ward said. “The New York-bred race is at Saratoga, and he’s got a house up in Saratoga and frequents the racing there all the time. So, I suggested to err on the side of caution, back up on him and target this race. Our decision to bypass the Tremont will give him some time to grow up and mature a bit.”
Ward commented that Whatchatalkinabout is a sound horse.
“He doesn’t have any shin [issues] or anything that would hold back a 2-year-old from running early as he already has. But we just don’t want to keep firing them out there where he will get shins,” Ward said. “He’s so sound and so good that we decided to back up a bit and move forward the closer we get to the Funny Cide.”
Whatchatalkinabout is out of the unraced Super Saver mare Super Savvy and was purchased by Ward for $82,000 at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale.
