Ageless Takes on Six Rivals in Grade 3 Royal North Stakes

The Grade 3, $150,000 Royal North Stakes July 26 at Woodbine features a field of seven fillies and mares set to go six furlongs on the turf.

8/5 morning line favorite, Ageless, has proven to be appropriately named as the mare continues to be a marvel of consistency well into her six year-old year. Her last ten starts have all been against stakes company, with the Arnaud Delacour-trainee winning four, running second twice, and finishing third three times. Her only off-the-board finish in that stretch of races was a fourth-place effort in the 2015 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint against males. Ageless has won 9 of 20 career starts for earnings of $584,154. In three starts this year, the daughter of Successful Appeal has a win, a second and a third – including a show effort in the Grade 3 Jaipur last out.

Leigh Court makes 2015 debut 

Leigh Court (5/2), will be making her seasonal debut following a fifth-place effort in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint last November at Santa Anita. The five year-old mare has enjoyed a banner career that includes winning the 2013 Sovereign Award for Champion Three Year-Old Filly. Trained by Michael Stidham, Leight Court has won 7 of 12 career starts for earnings of $567,673.

Ward confident in his Party Girl 

Richies Party Girl (4/1) was scratched from a minor stakes July 17 at Indiana Grand in favor of this considerably more difficult task. The vote of confidence from trainer Wesley Ward, who also owns the filly in partnership with Richard Ravin, may signal the filly’s readiness to fire a huge race after finishing second against allowance foes June 7 at Churchill in her last start.