Summertime Oaks possible target for Stellar Wind

ARCADIA, Calif. – Stellar Wind, fourth as the favorite in the $1 million Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs last Friday, is likely to stay in Southern California in coming months.

Tuesday, trainer John Sadler said he considers Stellar Wind a candidate for the $200,000 Summertime Oaks at Santa Anita on June 20. A final decision will be made when the filly returns to training. The Grade 2 Summertime Oaks is run at 1 1/16 miles for 3-year-old fillies.

“It’s in her own backyard,” he said. “I need to get her home and look at her.”

Stellar Wind, who was scheduled to return to California on Tuesday afternoon, was beaten 4 3/4 lengths by winner Lovely Maria in the Kentucky Oaks. Stellar Wind was steadied at the start and raced at the back of the field before closing wide entering the stretch in the race at 1 1/8 miles.

“Obviously, she didn’t have a good trip,” Sadler said. “She did run bravely.”

Owned by Kosta and Pete Hronis, Stellar Wind has won 3 of 5 starts and earned $373,200. She was purchased privately after winning a maiden race in Maryland in December and won her first two starts for Sadler earlier this year – the Grade 3 Santa Ysabel Stakes in February and the Grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks in April.

Sadler plans to have runners in two of the three stakes at Santa Anita this weekend.

Saturday, he runs Talco in the $100,000 American Stakes at a mile on turf. Owned by Hronis Racing, Talco won the Thunder Road Stakes at a mile on turf on April 4, his second consecutive win and first stakes win since arriving from France last summer.

Victor Espinoza, who rode American Pharoah to victory in the Kentucky Derby last Saturday, has the mount on Talco in what should be a tough race. Other candidates are Appealing Tale, Bal a Bali, Enterprising, Home Run Kitten, and Winning Prize.

Sunday, Hronis Racing and Sadler have a leading contender in the $100,000 Laz Barrera Stakes for 3-year-olds at seven furlongs in the unbeaten Yiannis.

By Midshipman, Yiannis beat maidens in January and won his stakes debut in the San Pedro Stakes at six furlongs on April 12.

Sadler said he does not plan to have a starter in Saturday’s $300,000 Vanity Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles. The race is expected to have a very short field, with many potential runners avoiding the two principal runners – Beholder, the two-time champion, and Warren’s Veneda, who is unbeaten in three stakes this year.

Tuesday, Beholder breezed a half-mile in 51 seconds at Santa Anita, her final major exercise before the Grade 1 Vanity.