Stellar Wind has solid work ahead of BC Distaff

ARCADIA, Calif. – Stellar Wind, last year’s champion 3-year-old filly, had a talented exercise partner Friday when she worked five furlongs in 1:00.40 at Santa Anita in advance of the Breeders’ Cup Distaff on Nov. 4.
Stellar Wind worked with Hard Aces, the winner of the Grade 1 Gold Cup at Santa Anita in 2015. Hard Aces served as a pacemaker for Stellar Wind, who will face the toughest assignment of her career in the BC Distaff against three-time champion Beholder and Songbird, the undefeated champion 2-year-old filly of 2015.
Ridden by exercise rider Jose Contreras, Stellar Wind began about three lengths behind Hard Aces and raced outside her stablemate. According to Santa Anita clockers, Stellar Wind ran the opening quarter-mile in 25.20 seconds, three furlongs in 37.40, and a half-mile in 48.40.
Hard Aces was a length ahead in early stretch, but Stellar Wind was a half-length in front at the wire.
Stellar Wind and Hard Aces are owned by Pete and Kosta Hronis.
Stellar Wind has been in peak form since late summer, beating Beholder in the Grade 1 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes at Del Mar on July 30 and in the Grade 1 Zenyatta Stakes here Oct. 1. Trainer John Sadler said Stellar Wind will have one more workout before the BC Distaff.
“I want to stay on my regular course and same routine,” he said. “We won’t do anything radically different. It’s working.”
Stellar Wind’s was the most prominent of nine workouts for Breeders’ Cup hopefuls Friday at Santa Anita.
Masochistic, a three-time stakes winner, worked six furlongs in 1:11.60, the fastest of 21 recorded works at the distance. He will start in the BC Sprint on Nov. 5.
Masochistic worked alone but tracked and caught a runner from another stable.
“He picked up that horse in front of him, and I think that helped his interest,” trainer Ron Ellis said. “It was as good a work as usual. He’s as good of a work horse as I’ve ever had.”
Champagne Room, the winner of the Grade 2 Sorrento Stakes at Del Mar in August, worked six furlongs in 1:12.40. Bound for the BC Juvenile Fillies on Nov. 5, Champagne Room was ridden by jockey Mike Smith and was quicker early than trainer Peter Eurton had hoped. Eurton timed Champagne Room in 23 seconds for the opening quarter-mile.
Big Score, the winner of the Zuma Beach Stakes for 2-year-olds on turf Oct. 10, worked a half-mile in 50.40 seconds. He is a top contender for the BC Juvenile Turf on Nov. 4.
◗ Lady Shipman, a five-time stakes winner this year, worked a half-mile in 48.40 seconds for the BC Turf Sprint on Nov. 5. Lady Shipman finished sixth in the Grade 3 Eddie D Stakes here Sept. 30 in her California debut.
◗ Texas Ryano, a longshot for the BC Turf on Nov. 5, worked seven furlongs in 1:27. Texas Ryano is trained by Carla Gaines, who worked the 2-year-old filly Partyinthepaddock five furlongs in 1:01.60. Partyinthepaddock, a maiden-race winner here this month, is scheduled to be pre-entered for the BC Juvenile Fillies Turf on Nov. 4 but may have trouble gaining a berth in what is expected to be an oversubscribed field.
◗ La Force, third in the Surfer Girl Stakes for 2-year-old fillies here Oct. 10, worked a half-mile in 49.80 seconds. She will be pre-entered for the BC Juvenile Fillies Turf but may have difficulty getting a starting spot.
◗ Hard Aces will not start in a Breeders’ Cup race, but there is a lucrative goal for him that weekend. Sadler said Hard Aces will start in the $200,000 Marathon Stakes at 1 3/4 miles on dirt Nov. 4.