US
sprinter No Nay Never put up a stunning performance at Royal Ascot today when
breaking the five-furlong track record by a two-year-old in the Group Two
Norfolk Stakes.
The
Wesley Ward-trained son of US sire Scat Daddy recorded a time of 58.80, bettering
the previous best 59.17, despite a tardy start. Ridden by Joel Rosario, he was
soon up with the pace and eventually ran out a length winner from 9/4 favourite
Coach House, who was a head in front of Wind Fire.
Asked
about his colt's slow start, Ward said: "He's like a bull and I knew he
would push his way through, and while it was a little bit of a concern we'll
take him home and work on that. He'll be better at the gate next time.
"I've
always felt he's the most talented horse I've trained and he proved so today.
He'll wait for other horses in a race, but I don't teach my horses to run away
from the rest and he was waiting for the others to come.
"We
put in a lot of time and effort. My staff at home work very hard from day one,
when we start breaking them in October and November - they never miss a day.
They are trained on a farm in Florida and then they go to another beautiful
place called Palm Meadows, where they continue their education.
"Then
they go on to Keeneland and everybody there has been so gracious. After their
meet is over, they keep the turf pristine and they did a huge favour by letting
us breeze on the grass. I want to thank them very much.
"I've
spoken to the owners and what I'd like to do is get him home to Keeneland on
Saturday, give him a break then bring him back for the Prix Morny at Deauville
[in August]. I like to keep them under my own thumb at home and it's been
proven that horses can come over here and win. It's a beautiful environment at
Keeneland where we train and it's a very easy flight from Chicago to Paris so I
don't think that will be a problem."
Asked
about the lack of US runners at the Royal meeting, Ward said: "I'd like
some of my buddies and colleagues to come over here and just see because they
have no idea what this is all about. A lot of trainers are fearful to come over
because it's a long way home if you get beat."
Ward has
been visiting the Royal meeting for several years and this was his third
success. Of the experience he said: "I'm not used to dressing this way and
I don't even wear a suit at home, but I'll come as I'm supposed to come if I
keep getting into the winner's enclosure."
Rosario
said: "I am happy to be here and to have a chance to win a race - it's
awesome. I thought that he was going to break a little quicker but he really
stayed in the gate. He pulled it altogether right back and he has just taken me
to the lead. He is a good horse.
"I
tried to stay with him - I didn't want to rush him out - and he just put me
where ever he wanted.
"I
have to say thank you to Mr Ward because he has given me a lot of opportunities
in the US and it's even better to come here with a horse of his."
NO NAY
NEVER (USA) FACTFILE -
TODAY'S
NORFOLK STAKES WINNER
Breeding: 2b/br c
Scat Daddy (USA) - (Cat's Eye Witness (USA) (Elusive Quality (USA))
Breeder: Jayne
Doi Johnson & David Sparrow
Born: March
1, 2011
Owner: Linda
Shanahan & Ice Wine Stable (Frank Antonacci)
Trainer: Wesley
Ward USA
Form: (1)1
* Became
trainer Wesley Ward's third Royal Ascot winner when taking today's Norfolk
Stakes by a length at 4/1, setting a new two-year-old record for five furlongs
at Ascot of 58.80 (previous record 59.17).
*Convincing
winner on debut, making most of the running for a two-length verdict in a four
and a half furlong Polytrack maiden at Keeneland on April 26.
*Non-runner
in the five-furlong Rollicking Stakes on dirt at Pimlico on May 12, in which
stable companion Sweet Emma Rose (runner-up in yesterday's Queen Mary Stakes)
finished fourth.
*Part-owned
by Linda Shanahan, wife of Coolmore advisor Paul. No Nay Never's sire Scat
Daddy stands at Coolmore's Ashford Stud in Kentucky.
Race
Record: Starts: 2; 1st: 2; 2nd: -; 3rd: -; Win & Place Prize Money: £64,509
Wesley
Ward USA (Glendora, California, & Gulfstream Park, Florida)
Born: March 3,
1968, Saleh, Washington State Background: grandson of long-serving New
York outrider Jim Dailey and son of former apprentice and working for trainer
Dennis Ward. Left school at 14 and moved to New York to ride when he was just
15. Enjoyed a sensational first season, partnering 335 winners and becoming
leading jockey at the Belmont, Aqueduct and Meadowlands fall meetings.
Receiving the Eclipse Award for leading apprentice when he was just 16 in 1984.
Spells riding in Italy, Singapore, Malaysia, Illinois and Canada followed and
Ward was in the plate when subsequent Kentucky Derby hero Ferdinand lost his
maiden tag in 1985. A growth spurt and weight problems forced Ward to quit
riding in 1989. Training career: assisted his father for four years
prior to starting out on his own in 1991. Accolades: Became the first
US-based trainer to saddle a winner at Royal Ascot when Strike The Tiger won
the Windsor Castle Stakes at odds of 33/1 on June 16, 2009. Also landed 2009
Queen Mary Stakes with Jealous Again. Enjoyed a third Royal Ascot win in 2013
when No Nay Never landed the Norfolk Stakes. Responsible for One Hot
Wish, who set a new world record for of 48.87 seconds for 4.5 furlongs on her
debut at Keeneland in April, 2007. Royal Ascot Record: 2009 STRIKE THE TIGER
(WON WINDSOR CASTLE STAKES), JEALOUS AGAIN (WON QUEEN MARY STAKES), Yogaroo
(9th Norfolk Stakes), Aegean (9th Albany Stakes), Honor In Peace (16th Chesham
Stakes), Cannonball (2nd Golden Jubilee Stakes); 2010 Metropolitan Man (9th
Windsor Castle Stakes); 2011 Holiday For Kitten (13th King's Stand Stakes),
Italo (23rd Coventry Stakes), Gentlemans Code (4th Windsor Castle Stakes),
Gypsy Robin (7th Queen Mary Stakes), Everyday Dave (11th Norfolk Stakes); 2013
Ogermeister (15th Windsor Castle Stakes), Sweet Emma Rose (2nd Queen Mary
Stakes), NO NAY NEVER (WON NORFOLK STAKES)
Joel
Rosario
Born: January
14, 1985 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Background: Grew up on a
farm and attended jockey school at the age of 13. After six months, he turned
professional and was the leading rider in the Dominican Republic on four
occasions, before moving to California in 2006. Enjoyed a breakthrough season
in 2009, partnering 284 winners and amassing earnings of $13,073,777, the fifth
best in North America. Has continued among the top five riders since. Moved to
New York State in 2012 and is enjoying a wonderful season in 2013, leading the
American jockey standings by winners and earnings - 168 winners & nearly
US$11.5 million by June 20. Accolades: Seven riding titles in California
(three each at Del Mar and Hollywood Park and one at Santa Anita); rode six
winners in a day at Hollywood Park on December 11, 2009. Only equalled by Hall
of Fame riders Bill Shoemaker, Laffit Pincay and Kent Desormeaux; set record
for most winners (38) at the Keeneland spring meet in 2013. Married to wife
Briana, one daughter, Jasmine and one son, Jason. American Classic Wins (1):
Kentucky Derby (2013 Orb) Other Big Race Wins Include: Alabama
Stakes (2010 Blind Luck), Blue Grass Stakes (2011 Brilliant Speed), Breeders's
Cup Dirt Mile (2010 Dakota Phone), Breeders' Cup Sprint (2009 Dancing In
Silks), Dubai World Cup (2013 Animal Kingdom), Jockey Club Gold Cup (2012 Flat
Out), Pacific Classic (2012 Dullahan), Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (2010
Harmonius) Royal Ascot Record: 2013 Ogermeister (15th Windsor Castle
Stakes), Sweet Emma Rose (2nd Queen Mary Stakes), NO NAY NEVER (WON NORFOLK
STAKES)
WIND FIRE
'PROPER'
American raider No Nay
Never broke the Ascot two-year-old track record for five furlongs with 58.80s
when beating 9/4 favourite Coach House, trained by Aidan O'Brien, a length,
with the David Brown-trained filly Wind Fire, a 16/1 chance, a head away in
third.
While O'Brien restricted
his comments to "Coach House ran well", Brown was more forthcoming
despite having to rush off to saddle a runner in the next race.
He said: "I knew she
was proper. She would have won the Queen Mary (run yesterday and restricted to
fillies).
"But she will win
lots of good races. The Lowther (at York) and the Cheveley Park (Newmarket)
will be among the targets."
GOING
AFTER THE FIRST
Joseph O'Brien, on board
the 9/4 favourite and second Coach Horse, said: "Quick."
Jamie Spencer, jockey of
third Wind Fire, said: "Fast."
Martin Harley, rider of
fourth Ambiance, said: "Fast."
Richard Hughes, jockey of
Coulsty, said: "Ok."
Tony Hamilton, rider of
Eccleston, said: "Rock hard - very quick."
Silvestre de Sousa, jockey
of Emirates Flyer, said: "Nice ground - it didn't feel too quick to
me."
Harry Bentley, partner of
Extreme Supreme, said: "A bit loose on top but nice."
Jim Crowley, on board
Green Door, said: "Good fast ground."
Joe Fanning, partner of
Ifwecan, said: "Fast quick ground."
Ryan Moore, jockey of
Legend Rising, said: "Quick."
Graham Lee, rider of
Oriental Relation, said: "Good to firm."
Seb Sanders, partner of
Royal Mezyan, said: "Fast."
Liam Jones, on board
Saayerr, said: "Quick."
2.30pm
Norfolk Stakes (Group 2)
£80,000
total prize fund. For 2yo, 5f. Weights: colts and geldings 9st 1lb; fillies 8st
12lb. Penalty value 1st £45,368.00 2nd £17,200.00 3rd £8,608.00 4th £4,288.00
5th £2,152.00 6th £1,080.00.
1) NO NAY
NEVER (USA) (Linda Shanahan & Ice Wine Stable) Wesley Ward USA b2-9-01 Joel
Rosario [8] 4/1
2) COACH
HOUSE (IRE) (Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith) Aidan O'Brien IRE
2-9-01 Joseph O'Brien [4] 9/4 Fav
3) WIND
FIRE (USA) (Qatar Racing Limited) David Brown 2-8-12 Jamie Spencer [1] 16/1
4)
AMBIANCE (IRE) (Prince A A Faisal) Mick Channon 2-9-01 Martin Harley [3]
5)
EMIRATES FLYER (Godolphin) Saeed bin Suroor 2-9-01 Silvestre de Sousa [2]
6) ROYAL
MEZYAN (IRE) (Sheikh Juma Dalmook Al Maktoum) William Haggas 2-9-01 Seb Sanders
[5]
7) GREEN
DOOR (Qatar Racing Limited) Olly Stevens 2-9-01 Jim Crowley [12]
8)
SAAYERR (Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum) William Haggas 2-9-01 Liam Jones [9]
9)
ORIENTAL RELATION (IRE) (Danethorpe Racing Partnership) James Given 2-9-01
Graham Lee [14]
10)
LEGEND RISING (IRE) (Mohamed Saeed Al Shahi) Richard Hannon 2-9-01 Ryan Moore
[10]
11)
COULSTY (IRE) (Lord Vestey) Richard Hannon 2-9-01 Richard Hughes [6]
12)
EXTREME SUPREME (Lyndsey Shaw) Derek Shaw 2-9-01 Harry Bentley [13]
13)
IFWECAN (Douglas Livingston) Mark Johnston 2-9-01 Joe Fanning [7]
14)
ECCLESTON (David Armstrong) Richard Fahey 2-9-01 Tony Hamilton [11]
14 ran
Time:
58.80s (two-year-old track record - previous record
59.17s) Distances: 1, hd, 1¼,
hd, 3, 1¼, nk, ½, nk, 1½, 1¼, 1½, ¾
Breeder:
Jayne Doi Johnson & David Sparrow
Breeding: Scat Daddy (USA) - Cat´s Eye Witness (USA) (Elusive Quality
(USA))
Tote
Win £4.60 Place £1.90
£1.40 £5.40 Exacta £12.10
Winning
Trainer:-Name: Ward, Wesley Date of Birth: March 3, 1968, Saleh,
Washington Based: Glendora, California Background: Racing Background:
Son of Washington trainer Dennis Ward and grandson of popular New York outrider
Jim Dailey, Ward was Eclipse Award-winning apprentice jockey in 1984 when he
won 335 races and more than $5 million in purses. Later rode in Italy,
Singapore, Malaysia, Illinois and California before retiring from the saddle in
1989 due to weight problems. Assisted father before setting up on his own in
1993. Big Race Wins Include: Will Rogers Handicap (1994 Unfinished
Symph), Shoemaker Breeders' Cup Mile Stakes (1995 Unfinished Symph), Los
Angeles Handicap (1997 Men's Exclusive), Vernon O Underwood Stakes (2000 &
2001 Men's Exclusive), Palos Verdes Handicap (2001 Men's Exclusive), San Miguel
Stakes (2003 Omega Code), Genuine Risk Handicap (2004 Bear Fan), Vagrancy
Handicap (2004 Bear Fan), Oklahoma Derby (2010 Pleasant Prince) Royal Ascot
Wins (3): Windsor Castle Stakes (2009 Strike The Tiger), Queen Mary Stakes
(2009 Jealous Again), Norfolk Stakes (2013 No Nay Never)
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