Photo: NYRA
In his young career, Kitten’s Joy has risen to the level of top
stallions, particularly with his turf progeny. On Sunday, trainer Wesley Ward
will try to expand Kitten’s Joy’s horizons when he sends out Politicallycorrect in the Grade 2, $200,000
Amsterdam, a 6 ½-furlong
dirt sprint for 3-year-olds.
The gelding, owned and bred by Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey – who
raced and stand Kitten’s Joy – is turning back from a second-place
finish in the Grade 2 Ohio Derby at 1 1/16 miles.
Politicallycorrect, who was scratched from Friday’s Curlin, won a
seven-furlong optional allowance race this past winter at Gulfstream Park,
and Ward said he considered it the horse’s best race.
“Kitten’s Joy gives a router style of a horse, but he gets
speed from the mare [Exceedexpectations, by Tale of the Cat],” Ward said.
“I’ve tried him on the grass and we’ve worked him on the Polytrack,
but I think his best surface is the dirt. He’s tearing the barn down
right now, which is a good sign coming into a race. He’s just acting
fantastic.”
On Monday, Ward will send out the Ramseys’ Holiday for Kitten in the 5 ½-furlong
$100,000 Shakespeare Caress at the Spa.
The 4-year-old Holiday for Kitten won
the Grade 2 Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes on October 8 last year at
Keeneland, but suffered a nightmarish journey when ninth in the Breeders’
Cup Turf Sprint the following month at Churchill Downs.
The Kitten’s Joy filly returned to the races on December 24,
roaring to a 1 ¾-length victory in a five-furlong sprint December 24 at Gulfstream Park, in which she sustained a hind-leg
injury and went back to the sidelines.
“She’s come back fantastic,” Ward said of Holiday for Kitten, the 7-2 second choice behind Well Deserved (3-1) in Monday’s race.
“She’s been awesome working on the dirt. You always question
fitness off a layoff, but it’s short and we’re lucky to get a
fantastic rider in Ramon [Dominguez, post position 5]. He’s firing on all
cylinders, and I hope he does that for me.
“This filly, really, if you look at her form, she prefers a
Polytrack surface, but she’s run really big over the grass.”
Also in the Shakespeare Caress are Page
Springs (30-1), Zermatt (4-1), Kid
Kate (6-1), Karakorum Elektra
(12-1), Sunlight Sonata (8-1), Ballistic Sue (15-1), Afleet Lass (8-1), and Salvaje (10-1).