Coastana makes stakes debut in Flower Bowl for DeVaux
Belladonna Racing’s Coastana will make her stakes debut for trainer Cherie DeVaux in Saturday’s Grade 1, $600,000 Flower Bowl, a 1 3/8-mile inner turf test for older fillies and mares, at Saratoga Race Course.
The 44th renewal of the Flower Bowl offers a win-and-you're-in berth to the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf in November at Del Mar.
The 4-year-old Coastana debuted in January at Gulfstream Park and graduated at third asking traveling 1 1/8 miles on the Keeneland turf in April. She followed with a close second to eventual multiple graded stakes-placed Higher Truth in a 1 1/4-mile turf allowance in June at Belmont ahead of a stylish 1 1/4-length score last out in her Saratoga debut traveling the Flower Bowl distance.
“It took her awhile to get to the races. She had a significant lung infection as a 2-year-old and then had an injury as a 3-year-old when she was getting ready to come to the track,” DeVaux said.
Coastana, a lightly raced daughter of Kitten’s Joy out of the Pulpit mare Reachfortheheavens, is a full sister to multiple Grade 1-winner Real Solution and graded-stakes placed Ava’s Kitten. The Pennsylvania-bred Real Solution was elevated to victory in the 2013 Arlington Million (G1) and one year later captured the Man o’ War (G1) at Belmont.
DeVaux said Coastana – who had increased her Beyer Speed Figure in each start, led by an 84 last out – has earned her way into a tough Grade 1 race led by multiple graded-stakes winner War Like Goddess.
“With her pedigree and family, the time seems to suit them well. There wasn't a rush to get her into stakes company,” DeVaux said. “She's developed right along since her first race and continues to improve each race she runs in. It's a big step up. She's going to have to run faster than she's ever run, but she has in each race so far. She has a win over the track at the same distance, so we look forward to seeing how she does putting her in with such a talented group of fillies and mares."
DeVaux, who worked with both Real Solution and Ava’s Kitten during her time as an assistant for trainer Chad Brown, said there are a number of similarities between the siblings.
“They are all similar in body type – big, strong and heavier-type horses,” DeVaux said. “The Pulpit comes out a lot in them. They are all headstrong. When you're trying to work with them in the paddock in the mornings, they can be a handful. It's a constant characteristic I’ve seen with all three of them. She can be a little hot in the paddock and we've been trying to work with her, so hopefully she settles down a little.”
Purchased for $290,000 at the OBS June 2019 2-Year-Olds and Horses of Racing Age Sale, Coastana will exit post 7 in her stakes debut under meet-leading rider Luis Saez.