Beaumont Winner Twenty Carat might get a chance to shine on Grade 1 stage

Trainer Wesley Ward started the 15-day Keeneland Spring Meet in rousing fashion Friday by winning the $150,000 Beaumont (G3) Presented by Keeneland Select with Three Chimneys Farm’s TwentyCarat and running 1-2 in the $100,000 Palisades Turf Sprint with Chasing Artie and Fauci.

“They all came back well,” said Ward, who will shoot for two more stakes victories this afternoon when he runs his Bound for Nowhere in the $200,000 Shakertown (G2) and Ten Broeck Farm’s Kimari in the $300,000 Madison (G1).

Ward said there is a chance Twenty Carat could run April 30 at Churchill Downs in the $300,000 Eight Belles (G2) Presented by Smithfield going 7 furlongs or maybe take a shot at the $1.25 million Kentucky Oaks (G1) going 1 1/8 miles.

“We will see if there are any defections from the Oaks,” said Ward, whose filly would have to be a late nominee to the race. By winning the Beaumont, Twenty Carat picked up 10 qualifying points for the Oaks, a total that would rank her 21^st on the leaderboard.

The Oaks is limited to the top 14 point earners that pass the entry box. The leaderboard will be finalized this afternoon with four races carrying 100 points to the winner to be run, including Keeneland’s Central Bank Ashland (G1).

In her stakes debut, Twenty Carat defeated even-money favorite Slumber Party by 1½ lengths. Trainer Kelly Breen said Slumber Party, owned by Gary and Mary West, came out of the race fine and would remain at Keeneland for the time being with her next start to be determined.

Ward said there are no immediate plans for Ken and Sarah Ramsey’s homebred Chasing Artie or Lindy Farms and Ice Wine Stable’s Fauci.