Stellar Wind won the Grade III, $100,000 Santa Ysabel Stakes February 28 at Santa Anita Park

Grade I Santa Anita Oaks winner, the Virginia-bred Stellar Wind, returns to the site of her Grade I victory this weekend in the Grade II Summertime Oaks. Most recently fourth in the Grade I Kentucky Oaks, the daughter of Curlin has been at Santa Anita since mid-May, recording a bullet 4 furlongs in :46 1/5 on June 16 and 6 furlongs in 1:11 3/5 June 10.

Bred by Keswick Stables and Stonestreet, Stellar Wind is trained by John Sadler for owner Hronis Racing.

Want to read more? Check out the Equibase race preview here.

Here is your convenient guide to all of the Virginia-connected runners this weekend at Belmont!

Friday

Enchanting Lady

Owned by Northern Virginia-based Kaleem Shaw, this 3-year-old Tale of the Cat filly runs in the Jersey Girl Stakes. Winner of the Santa Paula Stakes at Santa Anita this year and the Landaluce Stakes at that same venue last summer, she is making her second East Coast start after a ninth-placed finish in the Grade III Eight Belles at Churchill on Derby Day.

Cat Tree

Running in the Treemont Stakes, this Discreet Cat 2-year-old is coming off of an impressive maiden win at Churchill last month. Owned by PTK, Cat Tree was bred in Kentucky by new Middleburg, VA resident Jim Fitzgerald. Jim and his wife moved to Virginia over the winter and foaled 14 mares in Virginia this spring.

Diplomat

Owned and trained by Jimmy Day, this son of Kitten’s Joy will contest the Belmont Gold Cup Invitational with an eye towards repeating the victory he scored in this year’s Carolina Cup.

Saturday

V.E. Day

Virginia-owned V.E. Day winning over Virginia-raised Wicked Strong in the Grade I Travers. Photo courtesy Chelsea Durand.

Owned by Maggie Bryant, the 4-year-old son of English Channel hopes to get back to the winning ways of 2014 that saw him in the winner’s circle for the Grade I Travers and the Curlin Stakes at Saratoga. He competes in the Grade II Brooklyn Invitational.

Sky Kingdom

Also contesting the Brooklyn is another Jim Fitzgerald-bred. This 6-year-old son of Empire Maker is coming off of a win in the Grade III Tokyo City Cup Stakes (a race that he also won in 2013).

General A Rod

General A Rod winning the Gulfstream Park Derby. Photo courtesy Leslie Martin.

Contesting the Grade I Knob Creek Manhattan Stakes is this Hare Forest Farm-bred colt (Ann and Dick Poulson). The 4-year-old son of Roman Ruler won the Challenger Stakes at Tampa in March and enters this race off of a fifth-placed finish in the Grade II Charles Town Classic Stakes.

Noble Moon

Ned Evans-bred Noble Moon dominated the Grade II Jerome on January 4, 2014. Photo Courtesy Adam Coglianese.

In what could prove to be one of the most exciting races of the day for Virginians, the Grade I Metropolitan will see five different VA-connected horses enter the starting gate. Ned Evans-bred Noble Moon hopes to recreate his victory in the Grade II Jerome at Aqueduct last year. He enters this race off of a second-placed finish in allowance company at that venue.

Wicked Strong

Wicked Strong defeated Grade I winner Tonalist, also raised in Virginia, in the Grade II Jim Dandy at Saratoga. Photo courtesy Adam Coglianese.

Broken and trained early at Centennial Farms in Middleburg—and part-owned by Maggie Bryant—last year’s Grade I Wood winner last saw the winner’s circle in the Grade II Jim Dandy. He comes into this race off of a third-placed finish in the Grade III Excelsior at Aqueduct.

Honor Code

Honor Code winning the Gulfstream Park Handicap. Photo courtesy Kenny Martin.

This classy son of A.P. Indy is part-owned by Virginia Racing Commission chairman Sarge Reynolds. Winner of the Grade II Gulfstream Park Handicap in March, Honor Code was last seen finishing fifth in the Grade II Alysheba at Churchill on Derby Day.

Tonalist

Grade I Belmont winner Tonalist winning the Grade II Peter Pan by 4 lengths. Photo courtesy Chelsea Durand.

You remember this Woodslane-bred (Lauren and Rene Woolcott) and Virginia-raised colt for his victory in the Grade I Belmont at this venue last year. The son of Tapit just won the Grade III Westchester Stakes at Belmont on May 2, his only start of 2015.

Bayern

This son of Offlee Wild enters the gate for Virginia owner Kaleem Shah on the heels of a sixth-placed finish in the Grade II Churchill Downs Stakes—but you remember him for his victory in last year’s Grade I Breeders’ Cup Classic. Bred by Helen Alexander, the 4-year-old also won last year’s Grade I Haskell.

The Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training sale kicks off today with a number of Virginia-breds cataloged. Check out their breeze shots and conformation below!

You can follow along with results on the Fasig-Tipton website.

Hip 42, Harlan’s Holiday colt consigned by de Meric sales, agent.

Hip 42, Harlan’s Holiday colt consigned by de Meric sales, agent.

Hip 302, Dunkirk colt consigned by SAB Sales (Scott Bergsrud), agent.

Hip 452. Malibu Moon colt consigned by Pike Racing, agent.

Hip 452. Malibu Moon colt consigned by Pike Racing, agent.

Hip 57, Discreetly Mine filly consigned by Eddie Woods, agent for Smitten Farm.

Hip 57, Discreetly Mine filly consigned by Eddie Woods, agent for Smitten Farm.

Hip 57, Discreetly Mine filly consigned by Eddie Woods, agent for Smitten Farm.

Hip 302, Dunkirk colt consigned by SAB Sales (Scott Bergsrud), agent.

Hip 302, Dunkirk colt consigned by SAB Sales (Scott Bergsrud), agent.

Hip 321. Pioneerof The Nile colt consigned by Marshall Silverman.

Hip 321. Pioneerof The Nile colt consigned by Marshall Silverman.

Virginia-bred Stellar Wind, bred by Keswick Stables and Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings, is the likely favorite for Friday’s Grade I Kentucky Oaks. The daughter of Curlin recorded her final breeze on Friday, working six furlongs April 24 in 1:12 4/5 for trainer John Sadler.

You can see how beautiful she was as a yearling on Keswick Farm!

Virginia-bred Stellar Wind as a yearling at Keswick Farm.

The VTA and the Virginia Breeder’s Fund would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the winners of the $5,000 Virginia Breeders Fund Yearling Futurity Bonus for 2014.

Any Virginia-bred or Virginia-sired yearling that shows in the colt or filly yearling futurity class is eligible to compete for a percentage of a $5,000 Bonus. Bonuses are awarded to the top four money-earners at the racetrack at the completion of the horses’ three-year-old year. The $5,000 bonus is divided with 60% to the leading earner, 20% to the second leading earner, 14% to the third leading earner and 6% to the fourth leading earner.

Bred by Robin Richards, Just Call Kenny was the Grand Champion of the 2012 Virginia-bred Yearling Futurity.

In the 2012 Yearling Futurity, 14 yearlings competed in the colt and filly classes and 12 twelve have gone on to run, earning a total of $365,051. The horses listed below were the top four earners at the end of their 2014 3-year-old year.

• Securing top honors with earnings of $197,485 is Just Call Kenny. Bred by Althea Richards, the Dark bay colt is by Jump Start out of Green Jeans by Green Dancer. Just Call Kenny started off 2014 by winning the Spectacular Bid Stakes at Gulfstream Park. He also placed in the Grade II Indiana Derby, the Grade III Discovery Handicap and the Long Branch Stakes.
• In second place with earnings of $45,123 is Gumper. Gumper is a roan colt by Even the Score out of Miss Boot Scoot by Fred Astaire and was bred by Quest Realty.
• Third place goes to Mellifluous with earnings of $32,352. Susan Cooney bred Mellifluous who is a chestnut filly by Oratory out of Honey’s Sky by Sky Classic.
• Miss Kekoa, $27,485, is the fourth place earner. She was bred by Hart Farm and is by Exchange Rate out of Honour Old Glory by Honour and Glory.

Congratulations to our $5,000 bonus winner! Don’t forget, this year’s Yearling Futurity will be held at the Warrenton Horse Show grounds on September 5.

Virginia-bred Stellar Wind, the likely favorite for Friday’s Grade I Kentucky Oaks, recorded her final breeze on Friday. The winner of the Grade I Santa Anita Oaks worked six furlongs April 24 in 1:12 4/5 for trainer John Sadler.

Virginia-bred Stellar Wind wins the Grade I $400,000 Santa Anita Oaks April 4, 2015 at Santa Anita.

“Awesome,” regular rider Victor Espinoza told The Bloodhorse. “She went really good today. Last time she worked good, but this time she was amazing, exactly what John wanted. She’s ready to go.”

Bred by Keswick Stables and Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings, the daughter of Curlin romped by 5 1/4-lengths in the 1 1/16-mile Santa Anita Oaks. It was her second start for current connections Hronis Racing and trainer John Sadler–the 3-year-old began her career with owner Barbara Houck and trainer Donald Barr in Maryland, where in her second start she broke her maiden over a mile by the better part of 9 lengths. After that December victory, she was sold to her West Coast connections, immediately making good on the purchase with a 2 3/4-length victory in the Grade III Santa Ysabel over 1 1/16 miles.

Stellar Wind as a yearling at Fasig-Tipton Midlantic.

Sadler believes the longer Oaks distance will be ideal for his charge.

“She really wants more distance,” Sadler told The Bloodhorse after the Santa Anita Oaks. “This horse has a tremendous amount of stamina. It worked well last time. She broke a little slow (in the Santa Ysabel) and settled off kind of a slow pace, and so today, I said, ‘I wouldn’t change anything. Do what you’ve been doing.'”

Stellar Wind is out of the Malibu Moon mare Evening Star, herself a half sister to two stakes winners: Zenith, the dam of Lane’s End Breeders’ Futurity (gr. I) winner Great Hunter, and Im Out First, dam of two stakes winners including Im a Dixie Girl. Stellar Wind was an $86,000 yearling purchase for Barbara Houck at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic September sale.

Virginia-bred Stellar Wind is now likely to be the favorite for the Grade I Kentucky Oaks on May 1 after a dominant win in the Grade I Santa Anita Oaks on Saturday.

Virginia-bred Stellar Wind wins the Grade I $400,000 Santa Anita Oaks April 4, 2015 at Santa Anita.

Bred by Keswick Stables and Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings, the daughter of Curlin romped by 5 1/4-lengths in the 1 1/16-mile race. It was her second start for current connections Hronis Racing and trainer John Sadler–the 3-year-old began her career with owner Barbara Houck and trainer Donald Barr in Maryland, where in her second start she broke her maiden over a mile by the better part of 9 lengths. After that December victory, she was sold to her West Coast connections, immediately making good on the purchase with a 2 3/4-length victory in the Grade III Santa Ysabel over 1 1/16 miles.

Virginia-bred Stellar Wind wins the Grade I $400,000 Santa Anita Oaks April 4, 2015 at Santa Anita.

Sadler believes the longer Oaks distance will be ideal for his charge.

“She really wants more distance,” Sadler told The Bloodhorse. “This horse has a tremendous amount of stamina. It worked well last time. She broke a little slow (in the Santa Ysabel) and settled off kind of a slow pace, and so today, I said, ‘I wouldn’t change anything. Do what you’ve been doing.'”

Stellar Wind as a yearling at Fasig-Tipton Midlantic.

Stellar Wind is out of the Malibu Moon mare Evening Star, herself a half sister to two stakes winners: Zenith, the dam of Lane’s End Breeders’ Futurity (gr. I) winner Great Hunter, and Im Out First, dam of two stakes winners including Im a Dixie Girl. Stellar Wind was an $86,000 yearling purchase for Barbara Houck at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic September sale.

It was another big week for Virginia-connected horses last week. Honor Code, part-owned by Virginia Racing Commission chairman Sarge Reynolds, ran a huge race to win the Grade II Gulfstream Park Handicap by half a length.

Honor Code winning the Gulfstream Park Handicap. Photo courtesy Kenny Martin.

The son of A.P. Indy has never been worse than second in six starts, including a victory in the Grade II Remsen and a second-placed finish in the Grade I Champagne.

“At the eighth pole I thought maybe he was going to hang a little bit. But then he switched to his right lead and he came on,” traner Shug McGaughey said. “To see him run a race like that; this was only his second race in a year, we’ve all got to remember that. To see him come back and run the way he did and dig down, and from the five-sixteenths pole to the wire to run as hard as he did and then gallop out as well as he did, it’s a tribute to the horse.”

Virginia-bred Valid ran a strong race to be third despite being bumped repeatedly in the straight.

At Tampa Bay on March 7, one-time Kentucky Derby hopeful General a Rod, bred by Anne Poulson’s Hare Forest Farm, won the $60,000 Challenger Stakes by daylight. The 4-year-old son of Roman Ruler won the Gulfstream Derby in 2014, but hadn’t since the winner’s circle until this effort. Out of the Dynaformer mare Dynamite Eyes, he paid $5.60 to win by over 6 lengths here.

On March 5, every Virginia-bred that ran, across the country, ended the day in the winner’s circle. The Hart Farm-bred Lucky Stranger won an allowance at Delta Downs, while their Malibu Moon gelding Moonlight Meeting (now owned by Qatar Racing) broke his maiden at Santa Anita by 2 1/4 lengths. Meanwhile, the Lazy Lane homebred Rapid Rhythm broke her maiden first out at Fair Grounds. The 3-year-old daughter of Successful Appeal out of the Quiet American mare Patriot Miss took the 5 1/2-furlong turf contest by the better part of 2 lengths.

Virginia-bred Stellar Wind kicked off her 2015 season with a bang on Saturday, winning the Grade III Santa Ysabel at Santa Anita. Bred by Peggy Augustus and Stonestreet Stables, the 3-year-old miss was a $86,000 yearling purchase at Timonium.

After breaking slow in the 1 1/16-mile contest, Stellar Wind settled on the outside under Victor Espinoza, wiggling her way to the lead despite being four-wide on the second turn. Widening her advantage in the straight, the chestnut galloped under the wire 2 ¾ lengths to the good, under urging.

Stellar Wind won the Grade III, $100,000 Santa Ysabel Stakes February 28 at Santa Anita Park

“I wanted to break and let her do whatever she wanted to do,” Espinoza told the Bloodhorse. “I didn’t want to irritate her, just make her happy. They slowed the pace down, so I had to move out a bit. They were walking up front, so I had to press the pace by the three-eighths pole. She was just waiting for me to command her.”

Stellar Wind was following up on an impressive maiden in December, in which she put away six rivals by the better part of 9 lengths at Laurel. Prior to that, she finished third after being steadied at the start in a 6-furlong maiden at Laurel in late November. The Santa Ysabel was just her third start, and her first victory for new connections Hronis Racing and John Stadler.

“It was so cold in Maryland, I think she was glad to get in this good weather,” Sadler said. “I want to thank David Ingordo. He found her for me. He was the agent on the deal, and the previous trainer (Donald Barr) did a nice job.”

According to Sadler, Stellar Wind is likely to head to the Grade I Santa Anita Oaks on April 4 for her next start.

“That would be the logical spot at this point,” Sadler told the Bloodhorse.