Earle I. Mack has purchased recent Argentina group-I winner Star Plus, and has announced plans to race the 4-year-old colt in the United States under the direction of trainer Kenny McPeek.
Star Plus, an Argentine-bred son of Alpha Plus-Nannar, by Big Play, won the Premio Joaquin S. De Anchorena (Arg-I) on Dec. 15, 2007 at San Isidro, with Mack in attendance.
“This colt is a very exciting miler, and we can’t wait for him to run in North America,” Mack’s racing manager, Aaron Cohen, said in a statement. “Mr. Mack was in Argentina to see Star Plus’s (group I) win on the day of the Pelligrini Stakes, and was very impressed with his speed.”
A news release on the purchase said Star Plus will be shipped to a location in Ocala and eventually join McPeek, who is credited with being an adviser in the deal.
“Once acclimated, he should hold his own in top competition,” Cohen said.
Terms of the purchase from previous owners Natalie Pia Morkevicius and Mariano Barros were not disclosed. Star Plus was bred by Ruben Marcelo Vivas.
Star Plus has four wins in 14 lifetime starts in Argentina, including six seconds evenly divided among group I and group II races, and converted U.S. earnings of $81,406.
The colt’s sire, Alpha Plus, by Mr. Prospector, is a listed winner in France, and the sire of 2007 group I winner Mariah Plus. Alpha Plus’s dam was stakes winner Danzante, by Danzig, a half-sister to Breeders’ Cup Classic (gr. I) winner Skywalker.
