A pair of 2-year-old fillies that won their racing debuts back-to-back April 26 at Keeneland for trainer Wesley Ward has cleared the first hurdle required to be considered for a trip to Royal Ascot in June.
Ward's homebred Saturday Flirt got the day off to a strong start, even though she broke slowly in a 5 1/2-furlong $79,675 maiden special weight on the Haggin turf course. Jockey Irad Oriz Jr. gave the even-money favorite and daughter of Mendelssohn a patient ride down the backstretch, took her wide into the middle of the course at the top of the stretch, then sprinted past Gemma Freeman's Bois Blanc to win by 1 1/4 lengths. The final time was 1:03.25.
"When Irad got off of her, he told me, 'I just had so much confidence in her, from knowing her so well, that I bided my time and when we turned for home, she took off,'" said Ward.
"She is just a beautiful filly. From the onset when she was born here across the street from Keeneland, she was a standout," he continued. "For her very first work, we called on Irad. He breezed her from the gate and from that point forward he said, 'This is my filly.'"
Ward bred Saturday Flirt out of the stakes-placed winner Dragic (Broken Vow), who he trained for Steven Michael Bell. The mare showed a lot of promise at 2 getting a pair of third-place finishes in the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Stakes and the Futurity Stakes at Belmont Park but then acquired equine protozoal myeloencephalitis and had to stop racing. She then became a broodmare for Ward and has now produced two winners from two to race.
Saturday Flirt is Dragic's third foal. She delivered a colt by Gun Runner this year.
"I've bred multiple mares to Mendelssohn. He is such a good stallion and was an incredible racehorse. I'm fortunate that this filly has worked out for me," Ward said.
Saturday Flirt is being considered for the June 19 five-furlong Queen Mary Stakes (G2) during the Royal Ascot meeting.
"She has had nice breezes on the dirt but when she breezed on the grass, it was like 'Wow,'" said Ward. "It is definitely her preferred surface."
Ward has won the Queen Mary four times, with Jealous Again (2009), Acapulco (2015), Lady Aurelia (2016), and Campanelle (2020). He was second in this race with Twilight Gleaming in 2021.
Ward was back in the winner's circle after the following race at Keeneland, joined by a throng of co-owners, friends, and family associated with a Hat Creek Racing partnership managed by Gatewood Bell. They were celebrating a 3 1/2-length victory by Burning Pine, a daughter of Nyquist who Bell bought for $80,000 during the 2023 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
Burning Pine, a 3-5 favorite ridden by Joel Rosario in the 4 1/2-furlong maiden special weight on Keeneland's main track, ran gate to wire in brisk fractions of :22.91 and :45.81 while being pressed all the way by longshot La Marinera, the first starter for freshman sire Instilled Regard . Burning Pine held off a persistent La Marinera who finished second. The final time was :52.17.
"She is a big, leggy, skinny filly but she has some speed to her. She came to hand so quickly, I spoke to Gatewood and said if they put up a race in the last part of the meet I'm going to be looking to run," said Ward. "She was very impressive today."
Burning Pine's half brother Neat, a son of Constitution , won the Transylvania Stakes (G3T) at Keeneland April 5, so Ward said he is eager to try the filly on the grass.
"I'm sure Gatewood and his syndicate are looking to go to Ascot and for this filly, I would consider running her in the Albany, which is six furlongs," Ward said, referring to the June 21 group 3 stakes. "That is long for this time of the year but this filly could definitely do it."
Ward has had a lot of success using the Keeneland spring meet to identify Royal Ascot contenders.
"They have to show some promise early and at the end of the day, if they don't do it, we don't go. These two have," Ward said. "(Burning Pine) will have to prove herself on the grass, especially the Keeneland grass. If you are a true grass horse, you'll do it here at Keeneland."
