With a breathtaking move, Stardom Bound circled the field on the far turn and won the Bessemer Trust Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I) at Santa Anita Oct. 24, in the process nailing down championship honors in her division.
| Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies | |||
| Horse | Win | Place | Show |
| 1. Stardom Bound | $5.20 | $3.20 | $2.20 |
| 2. Dream Empress | $8.80 | $5.20 | |
| 3. Sky Diva | $3.60 |
Under Mike Smith, the Tapit filly broke awkwardly and had to settle near the rear of the field. But when Smith asked her to run, Stardom Bound simply moved by the entire field with ease and bounded home 1 1/2 lengths ahead of Dream Empress and Kent Desormeaux.
Sky Diva, with Ramon Dominguez, aboard, was 1 1/2 lengths farther back in third. She nosed Dave's Revenge for the show spot..
On a track not favoring speed, Stardom Bound was in her regular spot as C. S. Silk and Be Smart went to the lead, followed by Palacio de Amor and Sky Diva. Stardom Bound was easy to pick up during her move, being a big gray filly that her connections refer to as "Zenyatta junior."
"She got pinched at the start and settled back. Something seems to happen to her in every race at the start," Smith said.
She had made four previous starts and broke in the air once and was off slowly twice. But, her record is now three wins and two seconds from five starts, her other victories including a score in the Del Mar Debutante (gr. I) and Oak Leaf Stakes (gr. I).
Stardom Bound is the 15th favorite to win the Juvenile Fillies in 25 runnings and is the seventh straight.
She is owned by Charles Cono, who is selling his horses because of his age, 84, and trained by Chris Paasch, who beat a rare form of leukemia.
Stardom Bound ran the 1 1/16 miles in 1:40.99 and paid $5.20, $3.20, and $2.20. Dream Empress closed ground for second and returned $8.80 and $5.20. Sky Diva was $3.60.
Dave's Revenge was followed by Persistently, Van Lear Rose, C.S. Silk, Black Magic Mama, Evita Argentina, Doremifasollatido, Pursuit of Glory, Be Smart and Palacio de Amor.
Pedigree
Out of the Tarr Road mare My White Corvette, Stardom Bound was bred in Kentucky by F. Gray, C. Gray, and J. Youngblood. She was purchased at the Ocala Breeders’ Sale Co.’s March auction of 2-year-olds in training for $375,000. My White Corvette won three of 11 starts and $87,772 and has produced six foals, including four starters. She has had three winners. Stardom Bound is her first black-type winner.