Arrest made in theft of Wesley Ward's Royal Ascot trophies

One individual allegedly involved in the theft of Royal Ascot trophies from trainer Wesley Ward's home in Kentucky last month has been arrested by police, Versailles Police Department assistant chief Rob Young said on Friday.

Some of the trophies have also been recovered, though with extensive damage.

Brian Wylie, 47, was booked in at Fayette County Jail on March 9, charged with receiving stolen property valued between $1,000-$10,000.

Ward is the most successful US-based trainer in Royal Ascot history, claiming his first victories with Strike the Tiger and Jealous Again in 2009 and notching his 12th win at the meeting last year with Campanelle in the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup.

The trophies carried tremendous sentimental value to Ward, who had one of them presented to him by Queen Elizabeth after the trainer captured the Group 1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes with Undrafted in 2015.

"Unfortunately they tried to burn them down," said Ward, who also forwarded a photograph of the recovered pieces to Daily Racing Form's Marty McGee, who first reported an arrest and the trophy recovery on Twitter.

Photo of the damaged trophies returned to Ward and published by the Daily Racing Form

Ward said it is his understanding that more perpetrators could be at large. Young declined to comment, citing an ongoing investigation.

Young said half of Ward's 14 stolen trophies had been recovered, with the burn damage on the engraved pieces showing an attempt "I'd say to conceal their identity so they could be sold".

Again mentioning an ongoing investigation, Young declined to comment if the crime was random or if Wylie knew Ward.

Ward said he did not know who had been charged and had been under the belief that two people had been arrested in an interview with BloodHorse on Thursday.

"It's better they got 'em, even if the trophies are damaged," he said. "You feel a little bit better about people breaking into your house. They probably won't be doing that again."

Ward received a notification on the day of the theft from a remote camera inside his home with a screenshot of an individual wearing a yellow jacket who was believed to be responsible. The image did not show the person's face.

Wesley Ward's trophy for Undrafted's Diamond Jubilee win was one of the stolen itemsCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

Also taken was a trophy from Judy the Beauty's 2014 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint victory.

Young said that Wylie's arrest was made in cooperation between the Versailles Police Department, the Montgomery County Sheriff's Department, and the Lexington Police Department.

This week has been challenging for Ward, who lost three horses in a barn fire on March 6 after a lightning strike.

"These trophies were nothing compared to that," the trainer added.

The three horses killed included Windsor Castle winner Strike The Tiger as well as five-year-old Modesto and an unraced two-year-old Hootenanny gelding.

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