Royal Ascot 2018 is set to be an iconic, cornerstone event of the ... Wednesday follows with more Group One races; this time the Prince of Wales's ... The Ascot Racecourse is located in the pretty Berkshire countryside, not far



Ward, born in Selah, Wash., began riding when he was 12. He broke in as a jockey on the rugged New York circuit at 16 and was honored with the Eclipse Award as the outstanding apprentice rider in North America in 1984 after he amassed 335 victories.

His riding career took him to Italy, Singapore and Malaysia before, at 5-foot-10, weight issues forced his retirement five years after he started. He briefly assisted his father, Dennis, with his training operation before striking out on his own in 1991.

Ward is as hands-on as a high-profile trainer could be with a thriving operation based in Lexington, Ky., that grows incessantly in quality. He trains about 100 horses, an estimated 80 of them 2-year-olds.