Golden Pal Registers Another Spa Stakes Win in G3 Troy

For the third year running Golden Pal (4c Uncle Mo x Lady Shipman, by Midshipman) visited the Saratoga winner’s circle with a win in the Grade III Troy Stakes.

Racing over 5 ½ furlongs on the turf, the colt showed a new dimension when racing just off the pace instead of his customary go to the front and don’t stop style. Going three wide into the stretch, Golden Pal had to duel the leader and got his head in front just in time to stay undefeated at the track.

The future Coolmore stallion was winning his seventh career race and second of the year after his Grade II Shakertown Stakes victory in April.

“He’s got a brilliant mind this horse and takes everything in, but he knew it was race day,” trainer Wesley Ward said. “The plan was, unless he broke super sharp, that I’d like him to come from behind… When you get to the Breeders’ Cup there’s so many fast horses – 14 of them in the race – and you just want to be able to be tactical and not have to be in front. I think we showed that today.”

Owned by Westerberg and the Coolmore partners, Randall Lowe-bred Golden Pal is out of the 11-time stakes winning Lady Shipman. Also undefeated at Saratoga with two stakes victories, Lady Shipman finished second in the Grade I Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint – the same race Golden Pal won last year. She is the latest stakes producer for the family with each of Golden Pal’s first four dams producing at least one stakes winner.

Lady Shipman returned to Uncle Mo last year and foaled a full sister to her Grade I winner now named Luvwhatyoudo on April 16, a week after Golden Pal’s Shakertown win.

Uncle Mo is among the top sires again in 2022 with 10 stakes winners, 27 stakes performers, six graded stakes winners and 15 graded stakes performers, led by Grade I winner Mo Donegal.