LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Leading Australian trainer Gai Waterhouse is attending her first Kentucky Derby this year, and she's spent this week visiting horsemen and top horses on the Churchill Downs backstretch – including reigning Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna.
Thursday afternoon found Waterhouse joining longtime acquaintance Wesley Ward in the winner's circle, as Pinky Finger, whom Ward owns and trains, won the $250,000 Kentucky Juvenile, taking pressure early and then lasting by a half-length at the wire. Could a trip to some of Australia’s major races be in the card for the globetrotting Ward?
“Gai’s been trying to get me down there about 15 years now,” Ward said. “It’s tough when you’ve got everything going on here, but I promised her this year, I’m going to make a serious effort to try to get down after the Breeders’ Cup.”
First, though, Ward will hope to be busy at that Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar with Pinky Finger. The Army Mule filly is unbeaten in two starts, having won her debut by 7 1/2 lengths on April 7 at Keeneland. This time, she extended from 4 1/2 to five furlongs.
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Favored Pinky Finger ($3.02) and Joel Rosario were away alertly from the gate, but Monster immediately began to press the filly on the outside through a snappy opening quarter in 21.61 seconds. The filly shook him off and opened better than three lengths on the field into the stretch. Maximus Prime, who had been last of six after the opening quarter, launched a stout rally, and just missed the favorite at the wire.
“They kind of went after her early on,” Ward said. “Joel knows this filly very well, so from the first jump, he had ahold of her. As much as she got weakened early because that horse pressed us, he saved some for the finish.”
The time for the five furlongs on a fast track was 58.32 seconds.
After Maximus Prime, it was 1 3/4 lengths to Double Talker, Ward's other trainee. Happyhappyboy, Dating Move, and Monster completed the order of finish, with Monster's fade after pressing the pace making Pinky Finger lasting more impressive. Except for the Ward pair, all the Kentucky Juvenile runners were maidens.
The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Del Mar will be the major long-range target for Pinky Finger. Ward did not rule out adding her to his annual Royal Ascot raiding party in June, but he said properly spacing her races into the Breeders’ Cup will be his priority.
“This race comes up relatively quick from Keeneland races,” Ward said. “Moving forward, I will space her races out, and make sure she makes it to the Breeders’ Cup. She showed an affinity for the grass [training] at Keeneland, which opened up options for us not only at Ascot, but at the end of the year at the Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar. That’s a track that favors speed. I think if she goes into that race as sound and happy as she is here, that’s really what I’m looking for.”
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