By Alan Carasso
Wesley Ward has trained his fair share of fast horses in his career, but where it comes to Golden Pal (Uncle Mo), “this is the fastest of the fast.” That is some compliment, and few would quibble with him after watching the two-time Breeders' Cup winner treat nine fellow turf sprinters to a spectacular front-running tour-de-force in Saturday's GII Shakertown S. at Keeneland.
Sent off the prohibitive 3-5 chalk in his seasonal debut, Golden Pal–who overcame the 13 hole in a field of 14 to win the 2020 GII Juvenile Turf Sprint over this course and distance–blasted away from gate 10 and established a clear lead within a matter of yards. Allowed to make the running while racing in about the two path, he covered his opening quarter in a sensational :20.94 and maintained a daylight advantage on his rivals on the turn over a turf course that had taken better than three inches of rain over the course of the week. Still just galloping along off the fence turning for home, he got the half-mile in an other-worldly :43.58 and was never in any sort of danger. Johnny Unleashed (Colonel John) was second at 70-1, while Gear Jockey (Twirling Candy) rounded out the triple.
“He's just blessed with speed and agility,” Ward continued. “He moves like a cat; he's so quick. For a big, sturdy horse like he is–he's just a once-in-a-lifetime horse.”
Narrowly runner-up to The Lir Jet (Ire) (Prince of Lir {Ire}) as a maiden in the 2020 G2 Norfolk S. at Royal Ascot, Golden Pal bested Cowan (Kantharos) in that year's Juvenile Turf Sprint, but was forced to miss a return trip to the Royal Meeting, making Saratoga's GIII Quick Call S. his first win at the graded level last July. Owner/breeder Randall Lowe sold the colt to the Coolmore partners and Westerberg, but he was a disappointing seventh in the G1 Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe S. in August before bouncing back in Keeneland's GII Woodford S. in October. Golden Pal ran them off the feet in the GI Turf Sprint in his most recent appearance Nov. 6, and Ward indicated that the G1 King's Stand S. at Royal Ascot June 14 over a stiff five furlongs is next on the dance card.
Pedigree Notes:
Golden Pal is the first foal to the races for his dam, a Grade III winner and 10-times stakes winner overall, who also has a runner-up effort in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint to her record. Lady Shipman is a full-sister to Just Talkin, herself multiple stakes-placed in turf sprints, and whose first foal, an American Pharoah colt named Talkin Pharoah, was signed for by Ward for $260,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale. The colt breezed three furlongs at Turfway Park in :35.40 Apr. 7. Lady Shipman is also the dam of the yearling colt Lieutenant General (Omaha Beach) and is due to Uncle Mo this season.
Saturday, Keeneland
SHAKERTOWN S.-GII, $317,657, Keeneland, 4-9, 3yo/up, 5 1/2fT, 1:02.21, gd.
1–GOLDEN PAL, 126, c, 4, by Uncle Mo
1st Dam: Lady Shipman (GSW-Can, MSW & GISP-USA, $902,387), by Midshipman
2nd Dam: Sumthingtotalkabt, by Mutakddim
3rd Dam: Nannetta, by Falstaff
($325,000 RNA Ylg '19 KEESEP). O-Magnier, Mrs. John, Tabor, Michael B., Smith, Derrick and Westerberg; B-Randall E Lowe (FL); T-Wesley A. Ward; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr.. $174,375. Lifetime Record: 9-6-2-0, $1,473,431. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Johnny Unleashed, 122, g, 5, Colonel John–Ready to Unleash, by More Than Ready. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($10,000 Ylg'18 KEESEP). O-Foster Family Racing, Reynolds, Lonnie, H & H Horses, LLC and Mills, Joseph; B-St. Simon Place, Scott Stephens & Betsy T Wells (KY); T-Eric N. Foster. $65,625.
3–Gear Jockey, 124, h, 5, Twirling Candy–Switching Gears, by Tapit. O/B-Calumet Farm (KY); T-George R. Arnold, II. $32,813.
Margins: 4 3/4, 3/4, NK. Odds: 0.60, 70.20, 9.80.
Also Ran: Diamond Oops, The Lir Jet (Ire), Just Might, Barraza, Natural Power (Ire), Chess Master, Filo Di Arianna (Brz). Scratched: Cowan.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
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