Stellar Wind – Champion Three-Year-Old Filly

Stellar Wind proved best of all other three-year-old fillies in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) on October 30 at Keeneland, and that may have been enough to tip the voters in her favor to be named champion three-year-old filly of 2015.

The gleaming chestnut lass earned 108 votes, easily bettering the 47 garnered by Grade 1 winner I’m a Chatterbox, 46 received by Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) victress Found and 34 claimed by unbeaten Grade 1 heroine Lady Eli.

But it wasn’t only her Breeders’ Cup Distaff effort that saw Stellar Wind prevail in Eclipse Award voting. The John Sadler trainee racked up a 6-4-1-0 mark and $886,000 in 2015.

Kicking off her sophomore campaign in the Santa Ysabel (G3) in late February, Stellar Wind was more than ready to take on all rivals in the Santa Anita Oaks (G1) next out on April 4.

The Virginia-bred daughter of Curlin recovered from a bobbling start and found herself running in last early. She gradually made up ground until pouncing on the lead and pulling away for a 5 1/4-length victory under regular rider Victor Espinoza.

Stellar Wind traveled to the Bluegrass State for the Kentucky Oaks (G1) next out, but suffered a terrible trip. She was steadied at the break, fell 10 lengths behind the leader and then found herself forced nine wide around the final turn. Despite all that, the game miss put her best hoof forward to rally for fourth on the wire.

Stellar Wind was given time to recover from that experience and returned June 20 at Santa Anita for the Summertime Oaks (G2). She gutted out a nose decision on that occasion, was given another brief freshening, and then came back to romp by 4 1/4 lengths in the Torrey Pines (G3) at Del Mar.

Next up was the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, and Stellar Wind reputed herself well despite being bumped and floated wide in the stretch.

The filly rallied to draw even with Stopchargingmaria, who had taken command in the lane. That runner refused to yield to Stellar Wind, but during the stretch duel drifted out and bumped Stellar Wind three times. In the end, the margin was just a neck in Stopchargingmaria’s favor.

The stewards posted the inquiry sign and Espinoza filed an objection to the stretch run. The stewards reviewed the tape before eventually declaring there wasn’t sufficient evidence to overturn the finish.

That left Stellar Wind in second, but she still managed to take home a different trophy on Saturday – an Eclipse Award.

Stellar Wind was purchased privately by Hronis Racing LLC after romping by 8 3/4 lengths to break her maiden in her second start as a juvenile at Laurel Park. She was transferred from the East Coast barn of Donald Barr to Sadler’s Santa Anita base to kick off her award-winning sophomore campaign.

From an 8-5-1-1 career mark, the talented filly has banked $913,200 lifetime. She’s likely to improve both those tallies in 2016 with the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) as her year-end goal once again. And this time it’ll take place at her home track of Santa Anita.

Stellar Wind photo courtesy of Benoit Photos

THREE-YEAR-OLD FILLY		FIRST-PLACE VOTES
STELLAR WIND		108
I’m a Chatterbox		47
Found		46
Lady Eli		34
Lovely Maria		12
Curalina		11
Include Betty		2