United States-based sprinter Bacio blitzed home well ahead of his 26 rivals in the concluding race June 19 at the Royal Ascot meeting, a five-furlong handicap referred to as the “Palace of Holyroodhouse.”

The drama didn’t end at the finish for the winning connections of owners My Racehorse/Shockley/Hanna/Messenger and trainer Wesley Ward, as they sweated out after jockey Juan Hernandez initially weighed in light. Following a stewards’ inquiry, the mystery was solved and the winner retained the victory.

“We were taking some pictures in (the winner’s enclosure) and, when the horse jumped, the overgirth fell off,” Ward said. “So when Juan weighed back in, the overgirth did not go through the scales. Then they found the overgirth here in the winner’s circle, put it back on, and we are all good.”

Asked what he was thinking when he went into the stewards’ room, he said: “I was wondering if Juan could go and have a cheeseburger and then weigh back in! Luckily, all we needed was the overgirth that he carried, so we are all good.”

Ward and Hernandez celebrate. (Patrick McCann/Racing Post)

The stretch provided much less drama as stakes-placed Bacio drew off to a 3 ¾-length score for his third straight win sprinting on the turf. It was the first win for Ward, the most successful U.S.-based trainer at the Royal Ascot, since 2021. He has 13 winners overall.

“This is the greatest place in the world to win a horse race. There is nowhere like it anywhere that I have been,” Ward said. “To finally get here again after so much success early on… we keep coming over, and more Americans keep coming as that is what Royal Ascot is about – the international competition. Other Americans, people from all over the world, the Japanese, Australians and everyone else here… it is just so great to finally win a race again here and hopefully we will keep moving forward.”

The Kentucky-bred son of Maclean’s Music completed Friday’s test for 3-year-olds in :58.36 over a straight five furlongs on good-to-firm turf, improving to 2-for-2 this year after an impressive two-length score in his seasonal bow at the same distance April 28 at Churchill Downs. U.S.-based Sandal’s Song finished second for trainer George Weaver, with Ten Carat Harry faring best of the Europeans in third.

Juan Hernandez, one of the leading jockeys on the southern California circuit, picked up his first career win at the elite Royal Ascot meeting.

“I love it here,” he told Royal Ascot’s media office. “It is something different in a good way. I am really happy to be here and grateful to the people at Royal Ascot. Hopefully, I can come back and win more races here.”–Royal Ascot press release