Campanelle (horse)

Campanelle was equipped with blinkers when she made her track debut in a maiden race over five furlongs on the turf course at Gulfstream Park on 31 May. Ridden by Nik Juarez, and starting the 2.1/1 second choice in an eight-runner field, she took a narrow lead on the inside soon after the start and drew away in the closing stages to win by three and a half lengths.[6]

In June Campanelle was sent to England to contest the Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes at the Royal Ascot meeting which took place behind closed doors owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. Ward had an exceptional record at the meeting, having trained ten winners beginning with Strike The Tiger's victory in the 2009 Windsor Castle Stakes.[7] She started the 9/2 second favourite behind the Aidan O'Brien-trained More Beautiful and was partnered by Frankie Dettori. The 20/1 outsider Sardinia Sunset set the pace before giving way to Sacred but Campanelle gained the advantage inside the final furlong and "kept on well" to win by three quarters of a length.[8] Travel restrictions meant that Ward had remained in Florida, leaving the conditioning of his Ascot runners to Dettori and Kieren Fallon. He commented "I had such high expectations for this filly. For her to come through in the biggest 2-year-old fillies' race at Ascot proves how good she really is" while Dettori said "She went as straight as a gun barrel and won very well. I was in the stalls for a very long time and she jumped a bit slow after losing concentration. She had plenty left two furlongs out and quickened very well. She's got a very sensible racing head".[9]

On 23 August at Deauville Racecourse in France Campanelle (racing without blinkers) was stepped up to Group 1 class and matched against male opponents in the Prix Morny over 1200 metres on soft ground. With Dettori again in the saddle she started the 1.7/1 favourite against eight opponents including Tactical (winner of the July Stakes), Cairn Gorm (Prix de Cabourg), Livachope (Prix du Bois) and Nando Parrado (Coventry Stakes). Racing down the centre of the track, Campanelle led soon after the start and pulled clear in the closing stages to win by two lengths and a neck from Nando Parrado and Rhythm Master.[10] Commenting on the fact that he would have to go into quarantine on his return to England, Dettori said "I've filled my car with wine, baguettes and cheese and I'm going to travel through the night, get my test tomorrow and lock myself in the house for a week" and added of the winner "She's got an amazing, long stride. She coped with this ground but she's much better on good. I was worried about it but class comes through... she's able to listen to my commands. When I told her to slow down, she did, and when I asked her to quicken, she quickened. She's a very, very smart two-year-old".[11]

For her final run of the year, Campanelle returned to the United States to contest the Grade I Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf over one mile at Keeneland on 6 November. Ridden by Dettori she tracked the front-running favourite Mother Pearl but was unable to make any progress in the straight and came home fourth of the fourteen runners.