Wednesday was as good a day as a trainer could have for Wesley Ward, who was 3-for-3 on the afternoon.

Capping the day in the feature race, a 5½-furlong turf sprint, was the narrow victory by Mrs. Fitriani Hay’s Saturday Flirt. The race was the filly’s first start since the Norfolk (G2) at Royal Ascot in England in June.

“She had a bunch of little things going on with her (after the Norfolk), and the owners were very patient,” Ward said. “We got her back to her home track, and yesterday she was very impressive. That was a tough race, especially for a 3-year-old.”

Saturday Flirt edged 3-year-old group-placed Tales of The Heart (IRE) by a neck with 4-year-old stakes-placed Big Trouble another neck back in third.

Ward, who also bred Saturday Flirt, has the $175,000 Soaring Softly (G3) for 3-year-old fillies going 5½ furlongs at Saratoga on June 8 as the next target for the daughter of Mendelssohn.

His other winners Wednesday afternoon were Satisfied Mind ($3.84) in the first race and Bundchen ($10.16) in the fifth race. Bundchen ran in the Queen Mary (G2) at Royal Ascot in 2023.

Ward has won five races the past two race days. His training triple was the second of the Spring Meet following Brad Cox on April 8.

Cox owns an 8-7 advantage over Ward in the race for leading trainer after nine days of the 15-day Spring Meet that concludes Friday, April 25. Ward has won seven consecutive Spring training titles, sharing the top spot in 2018 with Cox.