Stellar Wind fresh for Summertime Oaks
ARCADIA, Calif. – Stellar Wind’s trip to the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs resulted in disappointment. Stellar Wind was steadied early and closed from the back of a field of 14 with a nine-wide rally to finish fourth as the 3-1 favorite. National glory would have to wait another day for Stellar Wind, the dominant 3-year-old filly in California earlier this year.
Trainer John Sadler opted to rest Stellar Wind through May and point for Saturday’s $200,000 Summertime Oaks for 3-year-old fillies at Santa Anita. Stellar Wind is unbeaten in two starts at this track and will be favored to extend that streak in the Grade 2 race at 1 1/16 miles.
“The idea was not to rush right back because she traveled,” Sadler said. “In the last two works, she’s been really good.”
Stellar Wind worked six furlongs in 1:11.60 on June 10 and a half-mile in 46.20 seconds on Tuesday, the fastest of 34 works at the distance.
KEY CONTENDERS
Stellar Wind (Last 3 Beyers: 86-95-91)
◗ Stellar Wind was beaten 4 3/4 lengths by winner Lovely Maria in the Kentucky Oaks. She trailed the leaders by 10 lengths with a furlong remaining.
“When you look back at it, it was a good race,” Sadler said. “She took up at the start. To get beat four lengths on a speed-favoring track, it was a solid run. There is no question.”
◗ Owned by Pete and Kosta Hronis, Stellar Wind has won 3 of 5 starts and earned $373,200. Earlier this year, she won the Grade 3 Santa Ysabel Stakes and Grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks, closing from the back of the field to reach the front in early stretch. A similar trip will make her dangerous in the Summertime Oaks.
Sheer Pleasure (Last 3 Beyers: 86-75-71)
◗ Sheer Pleasure has been the dominant California-bred 3-year-old filly this spring. She won the Evening Jewel Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs April 4 and the Melair Stakes at 1 1/16 miles by 7 1/4 lengths on May 23.
◗ Win or lose on Saturday, Sheer Pleasure could revert to the California-bred division for the $200,000 Fleet Treat Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at seven furlongs July 25. With that in mind, trainer Phil D’Amato said the Summertime Oaks is a chance worth taking.
“It’s a free spin,” D’Amato said. “There looks like there is some pace in there. She can come from off of it.”
◗ D’Amato said facing a Grade 1 winner such as Stellar Wind will be a class test for Sheer Pleasure.
“Is she good enough? She trains like it,” D’Amato said. “She breezes like it.”
Fantastic Style (Last 3 Beyers: 97-76-82)
◗ A front-runner, Fantastic Style is the only other stakes winner in the field of 10, having won the Angels Flight Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at seven furlongs May 16. The Summertime Oaks will be Fantastic Style’s first start around two turns.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 10 Fantastic Style. Trainer Bob Baffert is 15-6-1-3 with a $4.56 ROI over the past two years with horses going a route for the first time in a graded stakes race. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 7 Conquest Curlgirl. Trainer Mark Casse is 35-7-3-6 with a $3.71 ROI over the past five years in graded stakes with horses coming off a maiden win. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan