Ward juveniles prep for Royal Ascot venture

Aegean (outside) works with Jealous Again (Longshot Photos/River Downs)

Trainer Wesley Ward came away very pleased with the performances of his

stable stars before the public at River Downs on Sunday afternoon. Ward worked

several of his leading two-year-olds over the Cincinnati track's firm turf

course in preparation for their overseas trip to England next month for the

Royal Ascot meet.

AEGEAN (Northern Afleet) and JEALOUS AGAIN (Trippi), the one-two finishers in

the April 30 Kentucky Juvenile S. (G3) at Churchill Downs, worked together in

company with Aegean and local jockey Yuri Yuranga apparently getting the edge at

the wire in :34 4/5 for three furlongs.

Cannonball in full flight (Longshot Photos/River Downs)

The only older horse in the Ward contingent was the four-year-old CANNONBALL

(Catienus), who worked alone before the 4TH race under Dale Baze and was clocked

in :45 4/5 for four furlongs. Returning to the gap before the two-year-olds

worked, Baze looked to the grandstand and said, "Wow!"

"I think we got exactly what we came for," said Ward, who was an Eclipse

Award-winning apprentice jockey prior to becoming a trainer. "By letting us work

between races the horses got a race day experience and all were up to the task.

The turf course here is in fantastic shape and a natural course that they will

race on in England. I'm not surprised at their times and with this behind them I

really won't have to do much after we get there.

"As gracious as River Downs has been we intend to bring two of them back for

the (September 5) Bassinet (S. for fillies) and (September 7) Cradle S."