Grade 1 winner Alva Starr euthanized after injury during workout

Alva Starr, who brought her connections to the highest of highs as a homebred Grade 1 winner, became an example of the sport’s lowest of lows, as the filly had to be euthanized after suffering a catastrophic injury while breezing Wednesday at Delaware Park. The daughter of late champion Lord Nelson – whose own racing and breeding careers were cut short by injury and subsequent laminitis – was 4.

Alva Starr was co-bred by P. Dale Ladner and trainer Brett Brinkman, and raced for the partners in Ladner’s colors. The filly was turning for home in a routine breeze Wednesday morning at Delaware Park when she suffered a fracture to her right rear leg that was deemed irreparable. The filly’s injury and death were first reported by the Thoroughbred Daily News on Wednesday evening.

“Obviously, it had to be pretty bad for us to make the decision to put her down,” Ladner told the TDN. “This is the first time I have ever been in a situation like this. It was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. I feel so bad for Brett Brinkman, her exercise rider, her groom, and everyone else who worked with her. I'm completely devastated. I have a small stable and never had a horse like her before. You have to be a special animal to win a Grade 1.”

Alva Starr was bred by Ladner and Brinkman out of Louisiana-bred Sittin At the Bar, who they purchased as a yearling and went on to win 11 of 19 starts, including multiple restricted stakes. Sittin At the Bar has gone on to produce four runners, all stakes winners, for the team. Her best runner of note before Alva Starr emerged was Grade 2 winner and Grade 1-placed Cilla.

The family was bettered by Alva Starr, who recorded six wins and four runner-up efforts from 10 career starts. Last year, the filly won the Dashing Beauty at Delaware and Grade 2 Prioress at Saratoga, and then was second in the Grade 2 Raven Run to Vahva.

This year, Alva Starr came out with a victory in the American Beauty Stakes at Oaklawn. She then traded Grade 1 decisions with Vahva in Kentucky, winning the Madison at Keeneland before running second in the Derby City Distaff.

The Madison also marked Brinkman’s first time saddling a Grade 1 winner, and he expressed pride in involvement with the family from Ladner.

“The training aspect of it hasn’t quite hit home, I don’t think," Brinkman said post-race. “The breeding aspect of it really means a lot to me.”

In what proved her final start, Alva Starr won the Rehoboth on June 5 at Delaware, pushing her earnings past the million-dollar mark.

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