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.