Ward runners dominate Spiral undercard

Conditioner Wesley Ward is having a fine meeting at Turfway Park with a 31% win rate and that number could easily rise Saturday given the trainer is loaded with five horses on the Spiral S. (G3) undercard who look tough to beat.

In Race 3, Ward will saddle KAYLA’S KITTEN, who will go second time off the layoff and moves from the $30,000 level to tackle $5,000 foes. Son of Kitten’s Joy was third last time and looks yards better than his foes with any improvement on this huge drop.

Race 7 is a maiden run going six panels and Ward’s first-time starter, PROFESSOR SNAPE, looks lively in a field lacking a standout. $170,000 son of Stay Thirsty trained in Florida before posting a pair of nice local morning drills and I have a hunch that he saved the gelding for this big race day to display his ability in front of a large crowd.

DELPHINA is no cinch making her two-turn debut in the pretty deep Bourbonette Oaks (G3) in Race 9, though the daughter of The Factor rolled home to a seven-length stakes win in her 2016 finale on this Polytrack and has posted bullet drills in two of her last four works for a fine layoff conditioner. I expect the $510,000 purchase to be ready to roll from the opening bell in this affair.

In Race 11, Ken and Sarah Ramsey’s KITTEN’S SOLUTION had some trouble in a turf sprint debut at Belmont in the fall and lands in this spot for a second career try. Chestnut colt was well-backed at the windows last time and his works since, the last six coming on this main oval, indicate he is ready to run a big one in a field that once again lacks class. The presence of Luis Saez in the silks is a big positive to me.

Race 12 is for maidens going six furlongs and OH SO TERRIBLE appears to be a standout in the finale. Bay filly by Cape Blanco has a nice foundation with four career tries, all on the lawn, and she showed fine speed and ability in those outings. Second by a neck last time in a dash at Gulfstream Park, the shipper is the class of the field with a good post draw to force the pace and cruise home under Saez.

TwinSpires.com is offering players the chance to share a $2,500 bonus on the Spiral Stakes program. Bet at least $200 and a minimum of 5 races, using the following bet types at least one time: Win, Exacta, Trifecta, Superfecta and Daily Double. Be sure to “Opt In” for eligibility