Stellar Wind, Vale Dori meet again in Clement L. Hirsch Stakes

DEL MAR, Calif. – As he did last year with Stellar Wind, trainer John Sadler has worked backward from the year-end goal, the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, outlining a series of races designed to get Stellar Wind to the Distaff in the best shape possible in search of a second Eclipse Award. A stumble at the start of last year’s Distaff cost her dearly, but Stellar Wind has not put a false foot forward since then, with a pair of Grade 1 wins that put her alongside Songbird as the leaders of the older female dirt division as of right now.

Stellar Wind will attempt to enhance her 2017 credentials on Sunday, when she goes for her third Grade 1 win of the year in the $300,000 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes at Del Mar. Stellar Wind won the Hirsch last year, defeating Beholder, beginning a current streak of four wins in five races, all Grade 1, the Distaff being the only setback.

The 1 1/16-mile Hirsch is important in that it is a Win and You’re In race toward the Distaff, but this year, it takes on added significance as the Breeders’ Cup will be held here for the first time on Nov. 3-4. Stellar Wind is unbeaten in two starts here – she won the Grade 3 Torrey Pines in 2015 – and will be a deserved favorite against a handful of rivals, including the hard-knocking Vale Dori.

Stellar Wind returned from a five-month layoff in April to win the Apple Blossom at Oaklawn, then last time out turned back Vale Dori in the Beholder Mile at Santa Anita. After the Hirsch, Sadler has the same schedule inked in as last year – the Grade 1 Zenyatta at Santa Anita and then the Distaff. She heads into what likely will be the final three races of her career with nine wins in 14 starts, five of those wins in Grade 1 races, plus an Eclipse Award at age 3.

“There’s been good spacing to her races, not crowding everything,” Sadler said. “I thought she’d be at her best at 5. She’s stronger, more mature. She’s an older mare who’s in good shape.”

Stellar Wind is not an imposing individual, but she doesn’t lack for grit and toughness. Like her sire, Curlin, she has improved with racing, and if she’s in a dogfight, she won’t back down.

“She’s a fighter. She grinds you down,” said Bob Baffert, who tries again against Stellar Wind with Vale Dori.

Stellar Wind beat Vale Dori by a neck in the Beholder Mile, which was a virtual match race from the start. As in that race, Stellar Wind has drawn outside of Vale Dori, which both Sadler and Baffert thought benefitted Stellar Wind.

“That’s a good post for us,” Sadler said at his barn Friday.

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Sadler also entered Shenandoah Queen, who like Stellar Wind is owned by Kosta and Pete Hronis. She has never raced in a stakes race, let alone against horses of this caliber, and Sadler said he was contemplating an allowance race early next week as an alternative.

Vale Dori had won six straight races – including the Grade 1 Santa Margarita – prior to her narrow loss to Stellar Wind in the Beholder Mile. It was an opportunistic winter for her, what with Stellar Wind and Songbird on vacation. Baffert is realistic about the assignment on Sunday.

“She tries hard, but she’s up against it with Stellar Wind,” he said. “I thought if we could beat her, it was that last out.”

Mike Smith, who rode Vale Dori to three wins from December through February, is back aboard, replacing Rafael Bejarano, who was on Vale Dori for her last three starts.

Bejarano is on Baffert’s other entrant, Faithfully, who makes her Grade 1 debut after winning the restricted Santa Lucia at Santa Anita on June 4.

“Trying to get her some black type,” Baffert said.

The longshots Motown Lady and Autumn Flower are the other entrants.

Motown Lady ships in from Kentucky after winning a second-level allowance at Churchill Downs last time out.

Autumn Flower has lost five straight races, all against Vale Dori, dating to last December in the Grade 2 Bayakoa here.

The Hirsch is race 8 on a nine-race card that begins at 2 p.m. Pacific.