LEXINGTON, Ky.— Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith and Westerberg Limited’s Golden Pal put in his final breeze before next Saturday’s $350,000 Woodford (G2) Presented by FanDuel covering 5 furlongs in 1:00.80 on his own over a firm Keeneland turf course Saturday morning with Julio Garcia up.
“I’m excited,” trainer Wesley Ward said of Golden Pal, who is undefeated in three starts here with victories coming in the 2020 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2), 2021 Woodford and 2022 Shakertown (G2). “Julio said he went really, really good and was bouncing when he came off the track.”
Ward worked two other Woodford candidates on the grass: Bound for Nowhere (5 furlongs in :59.80) and Asymmetric (IRE) (5 furlongs in 1:00.40).
Completing the six-pack of grass workers for Ward were Indian Summer (L) Presented by Keeneland Select possibles No Nay Hudson (IRE) (5 furlongs in 1:00.40 with Asymmetric) and Love Reigns (IRE) (5 furlongs in 1:04.60 in company with Franklin-G3 nominee Twilight Gleaming (IRE), who was clocked in 1:04).
Among the other 16 grass workers was Godolphin’s two-time Grade 1 winner Santin, who figures to be one of the main players in next Saturday’s $1 million Coolmore Turf Mile (G1). Working in company with two of his stablemates for trainer Brendan Walsh, New Year’s Eve and Reckoning Force, Santin breezed a half-mile in :50.40.
Keeneland Press Release
Photo: Golden Pal (Keeneland Photo)
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