Dale P. Ladner's Alva Starr (Lord Nelson), a smashing winner over older female sprinters while making her stakes debut in the Dashing Beauty S. at Delaware Park July 8, negotiated the hike into graded stakes company with aplomb, routing four rivals in Saturday's GII Prioress S. at Saratoga.
Sent off as the 7-2 third choice, with GIII Victory Ride S. runner-up Dazzling Blue (Into Mischief) the pari-mutuel princess at 3-5, the bay–bred by Ladner in partnership with trainer Brett Brinkman–attended a sharp early pace while three wide, turned back a challenge from the heavy favorite nearing the stretch and ran away with authority in the final furlong to romp by 8 3/4 lengths.
Jersey Pearl (Bee Jersey), a latest fifth in the GI Test S. Aug. 5, outfinished a disappointing Dazzling Blue for second.
“This filly had not missed a beat since the Delaware race and we just felt really good coming into the race,” Brinkman said.
“It doesn't put us into the winner's circle, but we felt good about it. A lot of times good horses make it look easy, but they are running fast and she's got a quick turn of foot from a high cruising speed and that's all I told Jose [Lezcano] when he worked her and when he got on her today. I said, 'Let her be who she wants to be, she is very manageable and use her assets.'”
A start in Keeneland's GII Raven Run S. Oct. 21 may be next for Alva Starr, who was narrowly defeated by the aforementioned Jersey Pearl by a neck in a Churchill optional claimer May 27.
Pedigree Notes:
Alva Starr, already one of five stakes winners for Lord Nelson, becomes the first graded winner for her late sire. Into Mischief is now the broodmare sire of four graded winners, including Saratoga's GI Whitney S. winner White Abarrio (Race Day).
The winner's dam Sittin At the Bar, just a $30,000 BSCYRL yearling purchase, won 11 of 19 career starts–led by nine stakes victories in Louisiana–for Ladner and Brinkman.
Sittin At the Bar has also produced the 2021 Prioress heroine Cilla (California Chrome) for these same connections and two other stakes winners. She is responsible for a Frosted filly of 2022 and a Gun Runner filly of 2023. She was bred back to Cyberknife.
That's a gate-to-wire win for ALVA STARR in the Grade 2 Prioress Stakes with Jose Lezcano aboard! #Saratoga pic.twitter.com/1fzUin5Utj
— NYRA (
) (@TheNYRA) September 2, 2023
Saturday, Saratoga
PRIORESS S.-GII, $242,500, Saratoga, 9-2, 3yo, f, 6f, 1:09.14, ft.
1–ALVA STARR, 120, f, 3, by Lord Nelson
1st Dam: Sittin At the Bar (MSW & GSP, $705,896), by Into Mischief
2nd Dam: Fast Laner, by Mutakddim
3rd Dam: Lois Laner, by Cutlass Reality
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. O-P. Dale Ladner; B-Brett A. Brinkman & P. Dale Ladner (KY); T-Brett A. Brinkman; J-Jose Lezcano. $137,500. Lifetime Record: 5-3-2-0, $268,900. *1/2 to Cilla (California Chrome), GSW & GISP, $509,000; 1/2 to Jack the Umpire (Bodemeister), SW, $193,435; 1/2 to Club Car (Malibu Moon), SW & MGSP, $677,265. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Jersey Pearl, 120, f, 3, Bee Jersey–Jersey's Soul, by Perfect Soul (Ire). 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($12,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-Silverton Hill LLC; B-Charles Fipke (KY); T-Darrin Miller. $50,000.
3–Dazzling Blue, 120, f, 3, Into Mischief–Blue Violet, by Curlin. ($500,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-Juddmonte; B-WinStar Farm, LLC (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. $30,000.
Margins: 8 3/4, 2HF, 7HF. Odds: 3.50, 3.05, 0.65.
Also Ran: Unsung Melody, Unified Alliance.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
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