Golden Pal Returns Impressively in Quick Call
Golden Pal (3c Uncle Mo x Lady Shipman, by Midshipman) had been off since his Grade II Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint victory last November but it was clear he was ready to run in his return as he bolted home in the Grade III Quick Call Stakes.
Racing over 5 ½ furlongs on the turf in the first stakes race of the Saratoga meet, the Wesley Ward trainee flew out of the gate with his customary speed. While he had multiple horses right behind him, no 3-year-old was willing to take him on head-to-head and Irad Ortiz Jr. let set his own blazing pace around the track.
He had a few lengths on the field as they turned into the stretch and soon Ortiz gave him a few taps. The whip was quickly put away though as Golden Pal easily pulled away to win in hand by three lengths. It was nearly a Coolmore America-sired exacta with Munnings’ Jaxon Traveler finishing third by only half a length to the second place runner.
“He’s so extremely talented and quick,” said trainer Wesley Ward. “He’s a big horse and he moves like a cat and that’s where he really has an advantage. I was a little concerned going into the race that I didn’t have a gate work into him, but he’s so smart that he overcame that in the first jump. When they said ‘go,’ he was gone.”
Racing for the Coolmore partners and Westerberg, Golden Pal was recently purchased by the partnership from his breeder Randal Lowe. The colt won two of his four starts made in Lowe’s colors and has never finished worse than second – including a heartbreaking runner-up finish in last year’s Group II Norfolk Stakes.
Golden Pal is again eying a trip to Europe to avenge that loss with his next start likely to be in the August 20 Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes at York in England.
Golden Pal is the first foal out of the exceptional Grade III winning turf sprinter Lady Shipman, who won 11 stakes races and was second in the Grade I Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint. Lady Shipman is a full sister to multiple stakes placed Just Talkin and four other winners.
A full sibling to Golden Pal is on the way with Lady Shipman visiting his sire again in 2020.