Breeders’ Cup Distaff: Stellar Wind Tries Again
Stellar Wind Favorite in Breeders’ Cup Distaff
For the third time in as many years, Stellar Wind will be sent out to try and add what will be the highlight of her racing career in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Del Mar.
As a three-year-old Stellar Wind won the G1 Santa Anita Oaks on her way to favoritism in the G1 Kentucky Oaks only to fall short after a troubled trip to finish fourth.
In the ‘15 Breeders’ Cup Distaff, she was a deep closing second to the more speedy Stopchargingmaria who held on by a neck to win at the 1 1/8 miles distance. A distance at which the connections of Stellar Wind realize is probably not her best as the strategy, at least on paper, is to make one run at the leaders and hope to get there.
In the ‘16 running of the BC Distaff, it was the champions Beholder and Songbird who battled it out to the wire, while according to the DRF past performances running line for the race, Stellar Wind was ‘fidgety and broke in the air’ before racing 5 wide to finish fourth beaten 4 lengths.
Stellar Wind Faces Uphill Battle in BC Distaff
On Friday, she’ll open as the lukewarm favorite to win the Breeders’ Cup Distaff at 5-2 to win this one in what may very well be her final attempt. She’s facing an uphill battle against three promising young fillies in Elate, Abel Tasman, and Paradise Woods. The later of which has the highest last race Beyer Speed Figure 105, and will be the likely pacesetter.
Elate is listed as second choice at 3-1 off back to back G1 wins in New York. She’ll be making her first start on the West Coast for trainer Bill Mott and Claiborne Farm. If she likes the track she’ll be hard to beat.
The Baffert trainee Abel Tasman started her career at Del Mar. She won three in a row going back to the Kentucky Oaks in May. She narrowly defeated Elate in the G1 Coaching Club of America at Saratoga two back. And was runner-up as the heavy favorite in the Cotillion at Parx last time out.
In fifteen career starts, Stellar Wind has won 10 times at either 1 mile or 1 1/16 miles and is 0 for 3 at the 1 1/8 miles distance of the Breeders’ Cup Distaff.
But if it’s any consolation, she is 3 for 3 at Del Mar, on a three-race win streak, and has won five or her last six races — all Grade 1.
