Stellar Wind Serious in Latest Pegasus Work

Stellar Wind, the champion 3-year-old filly of 2015 and a six-time grade 1 winner, breezed for the first time as a 6-year-old the morning of Jan. 7, as she continued preparations for a start in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) Jan. 27.

Expected to become the first female to race in the 1 1/8-mile Pegasus at Gulfstream Park, Stellar Wind went five furlongs in 1:01.50, in company with grade 3-winner Shagaf at Palm Meadows Training Center.

"She worked terrific. She worked with Shagaf, a horse who's on the comeback trail and who's a nice horse, and I thought she did really well," said trainer Chad Brown. "She particularly galloped out super. So right now we're on target for the Pegasus."

Sunday's work was her fifth since joining Brown at Palm Meadows after being purchased for $6 million by Coolmore out of Keeneland's November sale.

WINCZE HUGHES: Stellar Wind Takes Keeneland by Storm, Sells For $6M

"We're just going to keep moving forward," Brown said. "She had a serious work today and she'll probably have a similar work next week to be sure we know where we're at with her. So far I like what I see."

Stellar Wind, a chestnut daughter of Hall of Famer Curlin , won the Santa Anita Oaks (G1), Summertime Oaks (G2), Santa Ysabel Stakes (G3), and Torrey Pines Stakes (G3). She was beaten a neck by Stopchargingmaria in the Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) during her championship season for Hronis Racing and trainer John Sadler.

In 2016, she won the Clement L. Hirsch Stakes (G1) and Zenyatta Stakes (G1), and finished fourth in the Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff, and in 2017 she won the Apple Blossom Handicap (G1), Beholder Mile Stakes (G1), and repeated in the Clement L. Hirsch before finishing eighth in the Distaff.

Following the sale Stellar Wind was turned over to Brown, who worked her in company with Mask, a son of Tapit  who romped to a 6 1/4-length victory in the Mucho Macho Man Stakes Jan. 6 in his 3-year-old debut, making him two-for-two.

WINCZE HUGHES: Mask Makes it Look Easy in Mucho Macho Man

"They worked together a couple of times. I thought they would be a good matchup," Brown said. "They both got a lot out of it and, as you saw, Mask got a lot out of those works. Hopefully she does as well."

Also on the work tab in South Florida Sunday were trainer Jorge Navarro's duo of Sharp Azteca and War Story, who both worked five furlongs at Gulfstream Park West. 

Ivan Rodriguez' grade 1 winner Sharp Azteca breezed in 1:00 1/5 under Javier Castellano with a strong gallop out.

Loooch Racing Stables' Ron Paolucci is seeking to work out a deal to lease Sharp Azteca with the intent to start the grade 1 winning son of Freud  in the Pegasus. 

Paolucci, who is already pointing War Story and possibly Game Over toward the Pegasus, has had ongoing discussions with Rodriguez.

"The last couple days I've been trying to work a deal with Ivan, who owns Sharp Azteca, to see if we can get him into the spot that I bought," Paolucci said. "I think if a deal with Sharp Azteca comes about, it will come about in the next day or two."

War Story, who finished fifth in last year's Pegasus World Cup, breezed an easy 1:03 2/5. The son of Northern Afleet  most recently finished fourth in the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) at Del Mar Nov. 4.