Breeders' Cup: Stacelita sold, headed to Japan

Tom Keyser

Stacelita was scheduled to be examined at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Ky.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Stacelita, who finished 10th as the 9-5 favorite in Friday's $2 million Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf, has been sold to Terry Yoshida and will be retired to become a broodmare in Japan, trainer Chad Brown said Saturday morning.

Brown said Stacelita came out of the race, in which she was beaten 5 1/2 lengths, with a two-inch gash on the outside of her left foreleg, but Brown didn't think that affected her performance in the race.

Stacelita did race in the Filly and Mare Turf with a protective cover over her left eye where the mare had developed a fungus infection after getting hitting with a clod of turf in the Flower Bowl Invitational, a race she won at Belmont Park on Oct. 1.

Though Brown said he believes the eye is "as good as it's been,'' he said the mare would be shipped to Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Ky., on Sunday for an examination. Brown said once she gets a clean bill of health, Stacelita will begin quarantine for her trip to Japan.

Stacelita was a Group 1 winner in France before coming here, where, after finishing third against males in the Grade 1 United Nations at Monmouth, she won the Beverly D. at Arlington and the Flower Bowl - both Grade 1 races - for Brown and owner Martin Schwartz.

In the Filly and Mare Turf, Stacelita was receiving an up-close, stalking trip under Ramon Dominguez, but had nowhere to go in the stretch. When a seam did open, Stacelita had no punch.

Stacelita will retire with 10 wins from 18 starts and career earnings of $2,371,241.