Ward-Trained Filly Trio Heads Field of Nine in Kentucky Juvenile

May 01, 2016 Gary Yunt

Trainer Wesley Ward will bring a solid hand to Thursday’s 23^rd running of the $100,000 Kentucky Juvenile at five furlongs for 2-year-olds on the main track when he sends out three debut winners from the recently closed Keeneland meet.

The Kentucky Juvenile, which drew a field of nine, will go as the 10^th race on Thursday’s 11-race program that begins at 12:45 p.m. ET. Post time for the Kentucky Juvenile is 5:45.

Ward, who won the race in 2009 with the filly Aegean, will be represented by three fillies: Hat Creek Racing’s Con Te Partiro, Stonestreet Stables’ Lady Aurelia and Silverton Hill’s Silvertoni.

Con Te Partiro was the first of the Ward runners to debut, winning by 5 ½ lengths on April 13. Albin Jimenez retains the mount on Con Te Partiro and exit post position three.

Silvertoni debuted a day later and won her 4 ½-furlong test by two lengths under Jose Valdivia Jr., who retains the mount Thursday and will break from post position seven.

Lady Aurelia romped by 7 ½ lengths on April 21 to begin her career. Julio Garcia retains the call on Lady Aurelia and will break from post position four.

The biggest threat to the Ward trio could come from Michael Hui’s Hey Mike. Trained by Mike Maker, Hey Mike rallied to win her debut by a half-length at Keeneland April 20. Javier Castellano has the mount and will break from post position nine.

The field for the Kentucky Juvenile, with riders and weights from the rail out, is: Thirstforlife (Florent Geroux, 118 pounds), Cold Hearted Pearl (Francisco Torres, 115), Con Te Partiro (Jimenez, 117), Lady Aurelia (Garcia, 117), Rapa Iti (Arienne Cox, 118), Cold Snack Thirty (Sophie Doyle, 120), Silvertoni (Valdivia Jr., 117), Bluegrass Gem (Corey Lanerie, 118) and Hey Mike (Castellano, 120).