Alva Starr Turns Tables on Vahva in Madison
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Photo: Mathea Kelley
Alvar Starr (yellow silks) holds off Vahva in the Madison Stakes at Keeneland
Less than six months after being chased down by Vahva in the Raven Run Stakes (G2), Alva Starr
turned the tables on that rival with a statement-making victory in the Madison Stakes (G1) April 6 at Keeneland.
The half-length win, achieved through a shrewd change of tactics for the normally front-running filly, brought Alva Starr one step closer to her team's final goal of the Nov. 2 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) at Del Mar.
"It was a terrific trip," trainer Brett Brinkman said, praising Tyler Gaffalione's Madison ride. "Everyone has always called her a 'need the lead' horse but we never felt that way. We always felt she was running against horses that put her on the lead so we were pretty comfortable with whatever happened (when the gates opened)."
Unlike in the Raven Run, where Alva Starr commanded the early charge, the Lord Nelson filly found herself tucked into fourth position as rail-bound Red Carpet Ready threw down a demanding first quarter in :21.98. Circling five-wide, Alva Starr pounced on the tiring Red Carpet Ready at the top of the stretch and hurtled to the wire. This time when Vahva made her late rally, Alva Starr, already one race deep for the year courtesy of a romp in Oaklawn's American Beauty Stakes, had plenty left in the tank.
Post-time favorite Vahva, unraced since the Raven Run last October for trainer Cherie DeVaux, settled for second, 4 1/2 lengths clear of Red Carpet Ready.
"I peeked over at the screen at about the eighth pole and I saw somebody (Vahva) was to my outside, but my filly was still running at that point and I was fairly confident we were going to be able to get the job done," Gaffalione said.
Returning $6.32 as the second choice, Alva Starr completed the seven furlongs on a fast main track in 1:23.36.
Alva Starr's win marked a monumental personal triumph for Brinkman, who secured his first grade 1 title as both a trainer and breeder. He bred the filly with Alva Starr's registered owner, P. Dale Laudner. Brinkman and Laudner had bought and campaigned Alva Starr's dam, Sittin At the Bar. A member of Into Mischief 's first crop, Sittin At the Bar would go on to claim multiple Louisiana-bred championships and bankroll $705,896 for Brinkman and Laudner. The mare had given the partners their first graded winner in 2021 when her daughter Cilla (California Chrome) captured the Prioress Stakes (G2) at Saratoga Race Course.
"It's pretty special," Brinkman said. "The training aspect hasn't quite hit home yet but the breeding aspect really means a lot to me."
The remarkably consistent Alva Starr, now five for eight lifetime, took her earnings to $778,450 taking home her $358,050 share of the $591,050 Madison purse.
"The special ones win grade 1s. She has her distance limitations, there's no doubt. We'll see where we go …," Brinkman said. "The Breeders' Cup is the prime spot. That's where we want to end up."
Alva Starr became the first grade 1 winner for her late sire, Lord Nelson. The former Spendthrift Farm stallion succumbed to laminitis in 2021 after siring just three crops. In addition to Alva Starr, Lord Nelson is represented by Super Chow, winner of this year's Tom Fool Handicap (G3) and Toboggan Stakes (G3).