Wesley Ward is a craftsman at bringing young turf horses to the winner's circle, and the trainer has three entered in the $75,000 Tyro Stakes Aug. 8, a five-furlong turf sprint at Monmouth Park, including Fauci, a promising juvenile who broke his maiden in his second start.
Fauci finished second in his June 3 debut at Belmont Park and later went to Keeneland where he outclassed a field of 11 other 2-year-olds in a 5 1/2-furlong contest.
Ward explained that the Malibu Moon colt, a $175,000 purchase at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, is named for Dr. Anthony Fauci, one of the world's leading experts on infectious diseases who has played a prominent role on the White House Coronavirus Task Force throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Philip Antonacci purchased the horse at Keeneland," Ward said. "Being of Italian-American descent, and for all the great work that Dr. Fauci's done, they wanted to find a horse, especially in this time, that they could give a high-profile name to, and this is the one."
Owned by Antonacci's Lindy Farms and David Reid's Ice Wine Stable, Fauci is the sixth foal and fifth winner out of the Intikhab mare Tashzara, a half sister to European group 1 winners Excelebration and Lancaster Bomber. The latter also placed second in Breeders' Cup events in 2016 and 2017.
Ward said Fauci has shown speed and ability on both the turf at Palm Meadows and the Keeneland dirt.
"He's a bigger colt. He doesn't have a typical speed-horse look to him," Ward said. "It looks like he'll go a little further. He has a long stride and is just an athlete. He goes just as fast as you want him to.
"He has a big, easy fluid stride to him. He moves really quickly off the ground, almost effortlessly. He's really smart, which also bodes well in his favor.
"It's not the time that was the most impressive about his works—he did it with his ears pricked back and forth. My main rider, Julio Garcia, who breezes all my good horses—all the Breeders' Cup winners—he was aboard for all of his works and he's also very excited to see him run."
Fauci, who tracked the pace before taking over in the stretch in his maiden win, will be ridden from post 2 by Antonio Gallardo in his stakes debut.
To his inside, Ward's filly Spicy Marg will be making her first start for owners Wayne Lyster III, Bryan Lyster, and Gray Lyster. The Into Mischief filly is the first foal out of the Tiznow mare Tizasong. She trained at Keeneland before shipping to Saratoga Race Course, where she has two half-mile works—one on the turf July 26 in :49.78 and the other on the main track Aug. 3 in :49.85.
Ward's third entrant is Ranlo Investments' Florida-bred Golden Pal , who has proved a tough competitor by placing second in both his April 17 debut at Gulfstream Park and in the June 19 Norfolk Stakes (G2) during the prestigious Royal Ascot, where he was beaten by a neck.
Golden Pal, a son of Uncle Mo , boasts his own hefty pedigree—he is the only reported foal so far out of 2015 TwinSpires Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) runner-up Lady Shipman, a grade 3 winner who won multiple stakes around the country.
Golden Pal drew post 6 and will be ridden by Paco Lopez.
One who will likely be a threat to the Ward trainees is West Point Thoroughbreds, William Sandbrook, and Anna Marie Shannon's County Final, who finished second to Cazedaro in the June 27 Bashford Manor Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs.
A son of Oxbow trained by Steve Asmussen, County Final won on debut at the Louisville track, scoring by four lengths at 5 1/2 furlongs. He will leave post 4 with Joe Bravo aboard.
Monmouth Park, Saturday, August 8, 2020, Race 1Entries: Tyro S.
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Spicy Marg (KY) Nik Juarez 115 Wesley A. Ward 6/1 2 2Fauci (KY) Antonio A. Gallardo 117 Wesley A. Ward 3/1 3 3Baytown Bear (KY) Jose C. Ferrer 117 Paul McEntee 10/1 4 4County Final (KY) Joe Bravo 117 Steven M. Asmussen 7/2 5 5Newyearsblockparty (KY) Hector Rafael Diaz, Jr. 117 Anthony Pecoraro 12/1 6 6Golden Pal (FL) Paco Lopez 115 Wesley A. Ward 1/1 7 7Twirling Fire (KY) Ferrin Peterson 115 Jose H. Delgado 20/1 8 8Beau Bridge (KY) Jomar Torres 115 Chuck Spina 7/2
