Trainer John T. Ward Jr. and his wife, Donna, received recognition from Kentucky Thoroughbred Media as the group's Ambassadors of Racing for 2002 at a Tuesday luncheon at the Labrot and Graham Distillery near Versailles, Kentucky.

"We're happy to honor John and Donna because of the way they have achieved their success," KTM Vice President John Asher said. "Their pedigree just screams Kentucky racing. They have gone above and beyond the call to get their story of Thoroughbred racing into the world."

The award recognizes the Wards for their dedication and accessibility to the media through both the highs and lows of their training career.

"Horse racing has come a long way in the last decade, and the media has come a long way, too," John Ward said. "There are a lot of signs that things are starting to work, too. At the Keeneland sale, a lot of people purchased horses who had never purchased horses before. I think we're starting to see a return on investment of the programs the [National Thoroughbred Racing Association] is running."

The Wards' major clients, John and Debbie Oxley, were on hand to help the Wards celebrate their award. In 2001, John Ward trained Monarchos to a Kentucky Derby (G1) victory for the Oxleys.

Currently, the Wards are gearing up for Keeneland's fall meeting, where they will send out John Oxley's top two-year-old colt Sky Mesa in the Lane's End Breeders' Futurity (G2) as well as several other juveniles that Ward called "top shelf." Oxley's Fountain of Youth Stakes (G1) winner Booklet may also return at the end of the Keeneland meet.—Ed DeRosa