Stellar Wind Logs First Breeze of 2017 at Santa Anita

Owner Kosta Hronis and trainer John Sadler walked back to the Santa Anita Park barn area Feb. 4 following champion Stellar Wind's first timed workout of 2017, and encountered the chestnut Curlin   mare on their way through the paddock.

She happily trotted along through the walking ring, seemingly pleased she got to run for the first time since the Nov. 4 Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) and turned her head to her connections.

"Hey champ," Hronis said as the champion 3-year-old filly of 2015 walked by. To the delight of the group, the now 5-year-old with the white blaze responded with an emphatic snort back at her owner.

The three-furlong breeze in :36 4/5 was nothing groundbreaking—Stellar Wind happily went through the motions under exercise rider Jose Contreras—but it was simply a starting point. Record-breaking rainfall in Southern California during January delayed the first workout for her, but Sadler said he is still considering both the March 18 Santa Margarita Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita and the April 14 Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) at Oaklawn Park for her 2017 race debut.

"We just want her to be the same as last year, which was plenty good," Sadler said of Stellar Wind's grade 1 wins in 2016, both defeating four-time champion Beholder, in the Zenyatta and Clement L. Hirsch Stakes. "She's had a little break and was very bright this morning. When you have these big stars coming back, you get (a little anxious to get going), but you have to see every weekend how well she goes and then keep moving her up."

BALAN: Stellar Wind Upsets Beholder in Hirsch

Lost somewhat in the brilliance of the Distaff stretch run, when Songbird and Beholder dueled to the wire, was the fact that Stellar Wind got the worst of the break and never really recovered. The tactical speed that she employed so masterfully to edge Beholder twice before was unusable after the start. She fell several lengths back after completely missing the break, made a wide move in the final turn, but never really threatened the top two, although she only finished 3 3/4 lengths back in fourth.

"She was standing perfect in the gate and did one rock back, and the minute she did that, they opened the gates on her," Sadler said. "Those mares are all so good. If you lose (those lengths) at the start—you needed a good trip, and we didn't get one."

Because she was just outside the spotlight in the matchup of champions in the Distaff, Stellar Wind might be flying a bit under the radar for 2017, but her connections are far from concerned with that distinction.

"We're not big on trying to hype her," Sadler said. "She's good and anybody that knows horse racing knows she's good."

Also on the Santa Anita worktab Saturday, champion male sprinter Drefong worked a half-mile in :50 flat for trainer Bob Baffert in preparation for his expected start in the Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1) in March.