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Lady Aurelia back in Keeneland for Breeders' Cup prep

Lady Aurelia on her way to winning the King's Stand Stakes
Image: Lady Aurelia: Being prepped in Keeneland for Breeders' Cup

Lady Aurelia is set to return to Keeneland later this week and begin her preparation for the Breeders' Cup meeting in November.

Wesley Ward's three-year-old has enjoyed a fruitful European stint this summer, winning the King's Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot before being beaten just a nose by Marsha in the Nunthorpe at York last week.

Ward said: "She thinks she won. They do know. If they're running hard and they're in front and then somebody blows by them, the next day they're kinda like ears back, dejected and sad almost.

"But the ones that win are the opposite. Their ears are up; they come out of the stall bouncing. She really thinks she won."

Lady Aurelia's jockey, Frankie Dettori, celebrated after the line and admitted he was "in shock" after it transpired Marsha had just prevailed on the Knavesmire, but Ward admitted he was not quite so sure of the verdict.

"I thought for a second that she might have won when Frankie was so confident," he said.

"The filly that won it, she ran a valiant race to run us down. She was very courageous to come and get what I believe is the fastest horse in the world.

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"I was proud (Lady Aurelia made) such a tremendous effort back to back from here in the spring at Keeneland to Ascot to that race."

Ward is now targeting the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Del Mar on November 4, with Lady Aurelia due to race on for at least another year.

He added: "We'll look forward to the Breeders' Cup then (will) put her away.

"(Owners) Barbara Banke (of Stonestreet Stables) and Peter Leidel have committed to running her next year and possibly the year after that.

"It's good for racing to have a filly of this quality to keep going. Hopefully, she can maintain her form to where she runs such great races."

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