Stellar Wind sails to Santa Anita Oaks score

Stellar Wind (Curlin) bobbled at the start of Saturday's $400,500

Santa

Anita Oaks (G1) but that didn't stop the John Sadler trainee from drawing

off to a 5 1/4-length victory as the 6-5 favorite.

It was the chestnut filly's third straight triumph and she earned 100 points

toward a guaranteed spot in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) starting gate on May 1 at

Churchill Downs. Stellar Wind now sits third on the Kentucky Oaks leaderboard

behind Condo Commando (Tiz Wonderful) and I'm a Chatterbox (Munnings).

"She really wants more

distance," Sadler stated. "This horse has a tremendous amount of stamina. It worked well last

time (Santa Ysabel S. [G3]). She broke a little slow (in that race) and settled off kind

of a slow pace, and so today, I said, 'I wouldn't change anything. Do what

you've been doing.'

"The plan is to go the Kentucky Oaks. That's the idea. It's a month

away so the spacing is right. Hopefully, we'll be there the day before the

(Kentucky) Derby."

Kosta and Peter Hronis, who compete as Hronis Racing LLC, purchased Stellar

Wind soon after the filly's dominating 8 3/4-length maiden win at Laurel Park on

December 18.

"I thought it was good to be three-wide. I thought it was going to help me

get the speed in front of me. It didn't look like much but those two went and I

was able to move out a little at the half-mile pole," jockey Victor Espinoza

explained. "I knew they were going to slow down on the front so I

didn't want to be stuck in behind horses. Sometimes it's better to go a little

wide and then they're running free.

"Today, I rode her a little bit more because I think she needs a good race

before going into the Kentucky Oaks. Her last race was too easy for her. I

wanted a harder race for her today.

"I think she's a Kentucky Oaks filly. I have confidence because she can do anything. That's what I like about her.

I can put her inside, I can swing her to the outside, I can go wide and it's

still OK. She's such a big filly, with such a long stride that it's easy for

her."

Luminance suffered her first career loss while making her stakes bow in this

spot, but still earned 40 points to be 15th on the Kentucky Oaks leaderboard.

Wild at Heart (Indian Charlie) finished a one-paced third, three lengths behind

Luminance, to garner 20 points and the 22nd spot on the leaderboard. Curlin's

Fox (Smart Strike), trying dirt for the first time in the Santa Anita Oaks, was

awarded 10 points.

"My horse was pretty fresh, and she

broke really sharp," said Luminance's rider, Martin Garcia. "She was in a good position, and she made a move, but the

winner just ran by me. She was very impressive. She ran well. She'll be ready

for next time. I didn't think the pace was that fast."