Trainer Wesley Ward was at his Keeneland base Oct. 4, but his stable's influence was felt all the way up into Canada.
The Ward-trained No Nay Hudson traveled north to Woodbine to win the $183,520 Nearctic Stakes (G2T), scoring an 8-1 last-to-first upset in the 5-furlong turf sprint. He rallied to catch 2023 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) winner Nobals by a neck.
Western Whirl ran third ahead of The Strikin Viking in fourth. Favored Bring Theband Home faded to finish last of the seven grass sprinters.
The winner was clocked in :56.19 on a firm inner course at Woodbine following quick early splits of :21.65 and :44.01 set by Bring Theband Home. No Nay Hudson paid $18.90 to win.
Pablo Morales, second-leading rider at Presque Isle Downs, went to Woodbine Saturday for the ride on No Nay Hudson, and said he was forced to change tactics early after his mount was squeezed at the start and forced to play catch-up from last. But the pace worked to No Nay Hudson's advantage.
"In the turn, he started picking it up, picking it up, and I'm thinking, 'I'm going to get this because they have to come back a little bit,' " Morales said.
No Nay Hudson notched his second stakes victory and fifth overall win in 19 starts. He has career earnings of $528,214 for owners Andrew Farm and For the People Racing Stable
Bred in Ireland by RJB Bloodstock, No Nay Hudson is a 5-year-old bay No Nay Never gelding out of the graded stakes-winning Malibu Moon mare Raw Silk.
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Breath Away Wins Dance Smartly
Three races after the Nearctic, Breath Away also closed from last to catch 2024 King's Plate Stakes winner Caitlinhergrtness by a half-length to win the $149,754 Dance Smarty Stakes (G2T). She did not take the lead until the closing strides of the 1 1/16-mile inner turf race for fillies and mares.
Sahin Civaci piloted the winner for New York-based trainer Miguel Clement. She was timed in 1:41.74 on firm turf after fractions of :23.13, :47.50, and 1:11.59 set by Hurricane Clair, who weakened to seventh in the stretch.
Breath Away notched her first graded win and a second straight stakes victory after a late-running triumph in the ungraded Violet Stakes this summer at Monmouth Park. She paid backers $14 to win. She is a five-time winner in 19 starts for owners Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Steven Rocco, and Marc Levine.
"When she's right, she's really, really good, and today she was right," assistant trainer Lee Vickers said.
Favored Caitlinhergrtness, who stalked the early pace before taking over in the stretch, held second, 2 1/2 lengths ahead of Ready for Shirl in third.
Breath Away was bought for the equivalent of $328,027 out of Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale in 2021. Bred in Great Britain by Highgate Stud, she is a dark bay or brown 5-year-old daughter of Bated Breath out of the Nayef mare Darling Grace.
The Dance Smartly winner earned a paid, automatic berth into the Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf Invitational Stakes (G2T) at Gulfstream Park in January.
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