Stellar Wind sharp in workout; next start to be determined

Stellar Wind, the winner of four graded stakes this year, including the Grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks last April, worked five furlongs in 59.40 seconds at Santa Anita on Saturday for an October campaign that remains undefined.

Trainer John Sadler said that Stellar Wind will be considered for the Grade 1 Spinster Stakes at Keeneland on Oct. 3 but could be trained up to the Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Keeneland on Oct. 30.

“I want to see who is running,” he said. “I’ll either run her one more time or two more times this year.”

Stellar Wind worked alone and nearly caught up with a horse from another stable who began about 10 lengths in front, Sadler said.

Stellar Wind has won 5 of 7 starts and earned $553,200. Owned by Pete and Kosta Hronis, Stellar Wind won her most recent start in the Grade 3 Torrey Pines Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at a mile Aug. 30. Sadler chose that race over the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks on turf Aug. 15.

In addition, Sadler held Stellar Wind out of the $300,000 Zenyatta Stakes at Santa Anita on Saturday, a race led by two-time champion Beholder.

“I didn’t want to run on the grass, and I didn’t want to run against Beholder,” Sadler said.

Stellar Wind has won four of five starts this year. Her only loss was a fourth as the 3-1 favorite in the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs last May. A start in the Spinster or BC Distaff will be her first against older fillies and mares.