Outfielder hit it out of the park in his first at bat.
The powerful 2-year-old Speightstown colt—owned by Kia Joorabchian's Amo Racing, Jayson Werth's Two Eight Racing, and trainer Wesley Ward—scored by 6 1/4 lengths on debut May 23 at Churchill Downs, blitzing five furlongs on firm turf in :55.93. In front by a half-length at the first call, he lengthened his advantage thereafter to cruise unchallenged beneath John Velazquez.
"First jump, second jump, he already was gone," the Hall of Fame rider said. "So all I did was just hold him together and wait. It was very impressive."
The quickness exhibited was a surprise, as his late speed in workouts had been his calling card. Ward said Outfielder is built like a 3-year-old, and horses with large frames are often not as nimble as their smaller counterparts and can take more time to develop.
Outfielder is now on deck for Royal Ascot, being targeted for the June 19 Norfolk Stakes (G2), a five-furlong dash for which British bookmakers quickly made him the early second favorite behind the Aidan O'Brien-trained Charles Darwin, a winner of two of three starts.
Both colts have unique talent to go along with their memorable names. O'Brien's trainee, owned by interests from Coolmore, is named after author Charles Darwin, the "father of evolution." Ward, meanwhile, named Outfielder as a hat tip to Werth, a retired MLB All-Star and World Series champion who played primarily left field.
Ward said he couldn't get enthused about naming the colt left-fielder—"because that saying, you know, you're out in left field." So Ward opted for Outfielder, and both Werth and Joorabchian were on board.
They're also on board for Royal Ascot, the trainer said. Ward naturally is.
Ward became the first American trainer to win at Royal Ascot when Strike the Tiger took the Windsor Castle Stakes at 33-1 in 2009, and he has been a regular participant there since. He has twice won the Norfolk, firstly with No Nay Never in 2013 and five years later with Shang Shang Shang.
Joorabchian has also enjoyed success at Royal Ascot, including with Valiant Force, who upset the Norfolk for trainer Adrian Murray in 2023.
Ward wants to lay out a potential stallion-making European schedule for Outfielder this summer, aiming for the success he experienced with No Nay Never. After winning the Norfolk following a debut win in Kentucky, No Nay Never took France's Prix Morny (G1), a top-level stakes victory that left him as a valuable stud prospect. No Nay Never, who raced for Coolmore interests, has become a successful stallion at Coolmore Ireland, where he stands for €125,000 (approx. US$142,100). He is also the sire of Charles Darwin.
Ward is keeping his optimism in check with Outfielder, knowing how fortunes in horse racing can turn. A maiden win does not necessarily translate to stakes success, either.
"One day chicken, the next day feathers, man," he said.
Outfielder's race on turf Friday at Churchill marked his first high-speed exercise on the grass, Ward said. All of his works had previously been on dirt at Keeneland, and before that, the colt had only galloped on grass in Florida, which left Outfielder as an unknown on the surface. But Ward felt confident, not having a 2-year-old in his barn to keep up with him. This included his highly regarded barnmate Schwarzenegger, an unraced, $950,000 yearling purchase who Ward said is owned by Coolmore.
Outfielder is bred for turf, being out of the dual stakes-winning turf mare Notte d'Oro. SF Bloodstock bred the colt in Kentucky.
Schwarzenegger and Outfielder were Ward's two must-have purchases from Fasig-Tipton's The Saratoga Sale last summer, the trainer said, and he liked Outfielder so much that he signed for the colt himself for $850,000 from the Bedouin Bloodstock consignment. He only had Werth lined up before the purchase to be a 20% partner.
That left Ward on the hook for 80%, or $680,000, which would have left him calling clients to take shares or risk a massive personal gamble.
"I'd be having to beg, borrow, and steal for whatever for the whole 80%," Ward acknowledged.
Through connections established through his son, Riley, who is married to Caitlin Dunne, daughter of pinhooker Ciaran Dunne, partial ownership in the colt was pitched to Joorabchian shortly after Outfielder went through the ring. Joorabchian liked the horse and agreed to take 60%, leaving Ward with 20%, matching that of Werth, the trainer said.
Now, that investment is looking like pricey money well spent. All the partners are Ascot dreaming.
Joorabchian is "all excited and I'm all excited and Jason's all excited," Ward said. "So here we go."
Ward indicated he intends to run another one of his trainees, the 3-year-old Saturday Flirt, at Royal Ascot June 20 in the non-black-type Palace of Holyroodhouse Stakes at five furlongs for Mrs. Fitriani Hay.
Besides Outfielder, he could start other 2-year-olds at Ascot, but he still must consult with various owners. He noted the high cost of travel to Ascot and the alternative of racing for rich purses in Kentucky.
Before Ascot, Ward is aiming to run another one of his stable stars, Hay and Qatar Racing's grade 1-winning dirt sprinter Nakatomi, in the June 7 True North Stakes (G3) at Saratoga Race Course, provided Nakatomi works well next week. A last-out runner-up in the April 5 Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1) in Dubai, he breezed five furlongs in :59 4/5 May 24 on a fast track at Keeneland.
"He came around a lot quicker than normal than when I've sent horses to Dubai," Ward said.
