Saratoga: Ward confident for Judy the Beauty in Spinaway - Daily Racing Form
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Wesley Ward had contemplated entering his undefeated filly Judy the Beauty in both of Saratoga's Grade 1 races for 2-year-olds run on closing weekend. But after seeing the field and post position draw for Sunday's $250,000 Spinaway Stakes for the girls, Ward decided there was no need to re-enter her in Monday's $250,000 Hopeful against the boys.
"I think I'm in the right spot," Ward said by phone Friday morning as he prepared to leave Aqueduct and drive to Saratoga. "I drew a great post, she should run well, there's nothing more I can do."
A winner in three countries and over two surfaces, Judy the Beauty makes her dirt debut against eight rivals in the Spinaway, run at seven furlongs. The Spinaway tops a 12-race program that begins at 1 p.m. and includes the Grade 3 Saranac for 3-year-old males on turf.
Ward purchased Judy the Beauty, a Canadian-bred daughter of Ghostzapper, for $20,000 out of the Keeneland September yearling sale in 2010, and she has made $145,897 winning a maiden race at Keeneland at 4 1/2 furlongs on Polytrack, the Prix Caravelle going five furlongs on turf in France, and the Shady Well Stakes at Woodbine going 5 1/2 furlongs, also on Polytrack. She won the Shady Well after spending 18 hours on a van due to some problems crossing the Canadian border. Then there was a question of whether she'd be allowed to wear blinkers, an issue that wasn't resolved until Judy the Beauty was in the post parade.
"Everything that could've went wrong went wrong, and she still overcame it," Ward said.
Though Judy the Beauty has yet to race on dirt, the way she has trained at Aqueduct leads Ward to believe dirt "will be her best surface."
Judy the Beauty, who breaks from post 7 under Jeffrey Sanchez, will be stretching out from 5 1/2 to seven furlongs, which Ward does not see an issue.
"I got her as fit as a horse can be," Ward said. "She's extremely sound, no physical issues whatsoever. If she loses, it's because she's not good enough, but every indication I've seen makes me think she's going to be the best horse I ever trained."
Georgie's Angel and True Feelings finished one-two in the Schuylerville Stakes here on opening day and are two logical contenders. Trainer Todd Pletcher said Georgie's Angel handled the quick turnaround from her maiden win at Churchill to the Schuylerville very well and he's happy with how the filly is doing leading into this.
Tony Dutrow was impressed with the fact True Feelings was a clear second in the Schuylerville, considering she was coming off a slow maiden win at Delaware Park. Dutrow was thinking of running just the maiden winner Grace Hall in the Spinaway, but has been impressed with how True Feelings is doing and entered both in the race.
"She settled like a horse with some quality would and she finished up full of run," Dutrow said. "Clearly beat the rest of the field and went into that race off of a slow maiden victory, so I have to feel good about how she did in the Schuylerville and seeing her train for the Spinaway she's trained really, really good. I have to be looking forward that the seven-eighths is going to work for her; I also think that there are a lot of horses in there that don't want seven."
Dutrow said Grace Hall has shown promise, but she must prove herself in the afternoon.
Rounding out the Spinaway field are And Why Not, Vukovar, Lady Pecan, Born Bullish, and Baffle Me.
03 Sep, 2011--
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