Stellar Wind 'moving forward' toward Pegasus World Cup 2018
While the 2018 Pegasus World Cup won’t feature Breeders’ Cup Distaff winner Forever Unbridled as earlier anticipated, it’s still expected to include a leader from the division with Stellar Wind continuing to work toward her final career start.
Trainer Chad Brown told the Daily Racing Form that Stellar Wind — purchased recently by Coolmore for $6 million, then transferred to his barn — “continues to train well, and as of now, we’re moving forward towards the targeted race.”
Plans to race her once more emerged Dec. 3 when Stellar Wind returned to the work tab at Brown's Florida base. Most recently, she breezed a half mile in 48.90 seconds on New Year's Eve at the Palm Meadows Training Center.
The champion 3-year-old filly from 2015 finished eighth in the Distaff, a lackluster result after what was an otherwise successful 5-year-old season. Stellar Wind entered the Breeders’ Cup having won three straight Grade 1 races: Oaklawn’s Apple Blossom, Santa Anita’s Beholder Mile and Del Mar’s Celement L. Hirsch.
The Wynn Las Vegas’ latest Pegasus World Cup odds list Stellar Wind as a 25-1 ninth choice. The daughter of Curlin is the only filly or mare being pointed to the world’s richest race to be run Jan. 27 at Gulfstream Park.
“She’s scheduled to do a little more, have a little more serious workout this weekend,” Brown told DRF, “and we’ll really know where we stand with her after that.”
Stellar Wind will be bred to Coolmore stallion American Pharoah after her finale on track.