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Oak Leaf winner is Bound for Stardom Charles Cono's STARDOM BOUND (Tapit) moved into the clear approaching the final turn and cruised past pacesetter Palacio de Amor (Dixieland Band) under little urging to post a 3 1/2-length victory in the $250,000 Oak Leaf S. (G1) at Santa Anita. Trained by Chris Paasch, the ultra-impressive filly was in no hurry while traveling on the rail toward the rear early, steadily advanced on the backside under Mike Smith, and left little doubt in the lane while easily proving best. The gray miss finished off 1 1/16 miles over the Pro-Ride surface in 1:42 2/5 while never being asked, and returned $3.60, $2.80 and $2.20 as the 4-5 favorite. "What a difference 32, 33 hours make, from 8:30 (Friday) morning and the incident that happened there in front of everyone, to winning this race, what a feeling," said Paasch, referring to Stardom Bound being kicked by a pony. "She was kicked on the inside of her right hind leg by an outrider's pony after she galloped. "We're very happy now. She did everything well." Palacio de Amor set splits of :23 1/5, :46 1/5, 1:10 3/5 and 1:35 4/5 for the opening mile, and stayed on stubbornly to record her second straight Grade 1 second. The maiden winner paid $6.60 and $5.80 while completing the $13.60 exacta ($1). Oro Blanco (Hold for Gold) came out in the lane and secured the show spot another 1 1/2 lengths back at 74-1. Show was worth $17, and the trifecta paid $383.80 ($1). The $1 superfecta (2-4-8-10) totaled $3,687.20 with Black Magic Mama (Black Mambo) finishing fourth at 18-1. Toro Bonito (El Corredor) was next and trailed by Will O Way (Broken Vow), Montana Fields (Pulpit), Magic Roberta (Elusive Quality), Malusita (Pure Prize), Kinesiology (Dixie Union), Empressive Lady (Empire Maker) and Candilejas (Candy Ride [Arg]). Stardom Bound debuted in a July 20 maiden event at Del Mar, just missing by a nose after conceding the field 12 lengths early after breaking in the air. She was off slow again in the August 6 Sorrento S. (G3), rated closer to the pace, but settled for runner-up honors when one length behind Evita Argentina (Candy Ride [Arg]). The gray juvenile miss closed from last to inhale her competition in the Del Mar Debutante S. (G1) most recently. Her career line stands at 4-2-2-0, $340,600. "I want to give a lot of credit today to John Lopez, who handed me in the gate," Smith said. "This filly has a tendency to 'ball up' a little bit in there, and today John decided to kind of stretch her neck out. I was a little concerned she might stumble, but she broke great." Purchased for $375,000 at the OBS March Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale, Stardom Bound is out of My White Corvette, a stakes winner and Grade 2-placed daughter of Tarr Road. She counts as half-siblings a yearling colt by Roman Ruler and a 2008 filly by Lion Heart. Stardom Bound was bred in Kentucky by Fletcher Gray, Carolyn Gray and John Youngblood.
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