By Bill Finley
Coolmore and trainer Wesley Ward have started to put together a 2022 schedule for their star grass sprinter Golden Pal (Uncle Mo) and it's likely to include at least two trips abroad.
With an eye on showcasing the colt and future stallion to as many people as possible around the world, Coolmore is planning on running Golden Pal in the June 14 G1 King's Stand S. at Royal Ascot, as well as a yet-to-be-determined race in Australia.
Golden Pal has raced twice in Europe, finishing second in the 2020 G2 Norfolk S. and seventh in the 2021 G1 Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe S. at York. A trip to Australia would be a first for this year's GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint winner.
“The Americans think he's the best sprinter in the world,” Coolmore's Tom Magnier told RSN. “If they think Golden Pal is the best sprinter in the world, maybe we need to bring him here to Australia.”
“We are planning a schedule for next year and it will include a trip to Australia at some stage,” Ward added. “They want to open up the Southern Hemisphere market for him so far as a stallion goes. We will look into whatever races are available. The race in Australia will probably be after the Breeders' Cup. It's hard to plan a year out with a racehorse. But we do want to race in the Southern Hemisphere with this horse. If the boys from down under get to see him race and see how great a racehorse he is, that would open up a lot of doors.”
Ward said Golden Pal will begin his year in the GII Shakertown S. at Keeneland, which will serve as a prep for the King's Stand.
“A win there would open things up for him if they decide to make him a stallion at Coolmore in Ireland,” Ward said. “It would show that he could do it over there in Europe. He hasn't done that yet. He was second as a 2-year-old at Royal Ascot and faltered this year at York, for whatever reason.”
Ward also said that Golden Pal could have a dirt race at some point during his 2022 campaign. He has raced just once on the dirt, winning a 4 1/2-furlong race last year at Keeneland.
“To me, he's equally as good on the dirt as he is on the grass, so we're also going to be looking at possibly running him on the dirt after Ascot,” Ward said. “If he shows on the dirt what he has showed on the grass, it opens up another market for him as a stallion.”
Golden Pal's 4-year-old campaign is also set to include a return appearance in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, which will be run at Keeneland.
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