Tag: Alva Starr

Alva Starr Gains Revenge On Vahva In Madison

Dale Ladner's Alva Starr (Lord Nelson) was run down by Vahva (Gun Runner) in the shadow of the winning post and dropped a narrow decision in the GII Lexus Raven Run S. during last year's fall meeting at Keeneland. But the speedy bay–favored by about $9,000 when all was said and done in the GI Resolute Racing Madison S.–managed to reverse form by a similar margin Saturday, even as she was forced to show a new dimension.

In the vanguard early, Alva Starr was eased back into a wide fourth to sit just off the pace into the turn as Red Carpet Ready (Oscar Performance) sped through from her inside draw to duel with Hot And Sultry (Speightster) through an opening quarter in :21.98. Consigned to a four-deep run around the turn, a stark contrast to normal front-running ways, Alva Star nevertheless rolled up outside, easily claimed Red Carpet Ready at the three-sixteenths pole and set sail for the wire. Still clear into the final furlong, Alva Starr was able to hold sway as Vahva was taking ground off of her with every stride.

Winning jockey Tyler Gaffalione admitted that the race did not unfold precisely as planned.

“No, [coming from off the pace wasn't the plan], but there was a lot of speed up there and I didn't want to get into a four-way battle,” he said. “She relaxed for me and when I called on her, she responded for me. I peeked over at the screen at about the eighth pole and I saw somebody [Vahva] was to my outside, but my filly was still running at that point and I was fairly confident we were going to be able to get the job done.”

Runner-up in allowance company in her first two starts at three at Oaklawn and Churchill, Alva Starr dominated older females in the July 8 Dashing Beauty S. at Delaware Park, then bossed her peers by 8 3/4 lengths in the GII Prioress S. at Saratoga Sept. 2. Beaten a half-length at 9-10 in the Raven Run, Alva Starr resumed with a smooth 3 1/2-length tally in a muddy renewal of the Feb. 3 American Beauty S. in Hot Springs.

Pedigree Notes:

Dale Ladner paid $30,000 for a first-crop filly from the first crop of Into Mischief at the 2011 Breeders' Sales Company of Louisiana's September Yearling Sale, and Sittin At the Bar would go on to win 11 of 19 starts–nine in stakes company–and over $700,000 while under the care of Brett Brinkman.

Sittin At the Bar has been even more successful in her second career, as each of her four sons and daughters to make the races are black-type winners, including Alva Starr's half-sister Cilla, who won the 2021 Prioress S.

Sittin At the Bar is also the dam of the 2-year-old filly Walkinaftermidnite, a yearling Gun Runner filly and was most recently bred to Cyberknife.

Saturday, Keeneland
RESOLUTE RACING MADISON S.-GI, $591,050, Keeneland, 4-6, 4yo/up, f/m, 7f, 1:23.36, ft.
1–ALVA STARR, 123, f, 4, 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 GRADE I WIN. O-P. Dale Ladner; B-Brett A. Brinkman & P. Dale Ladner (KY); T-Brett A. Brinkman; J-Tyler Gaffalione. $358,050. Lifetime Record: 8-5-3-0, $778,450. *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. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Vahva, 123, f, 4, by Gun Runner
                1st Dam: Holiday Soiree (SW & GISP, $405,642), by Harlan's Holiday
                2nd Dam: Try to Remember, by Include
                3rd Dam: Casanova Striker, by Smart Strike
1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($280,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-Belladonna Racing, LLC, Edward J. Hudson, Jr., West Point Thoroughbreds, LBD Stable LLC, Nice Guys Stables, Manganaro Bloodstock, Runnels Racing, Hornstock, Steve and Twin Brook Stables; B-Woodford Thoroughbreds, LLC (KY); T-Cherie DeVaux. $115,500.
3–Red Carpet Ready, 123, f, 4, by Oscar Performance
                1st Dam: Wild Silk, by Street Sense
                2nd Dam: Spun Silk, by A.P. Indy
                3rd Dam: Spunoutacontrol, by Wild Again
1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($180,000 Ylg '21 FTSAUG; $100,000 RNA 2yo '22 OBSAPR). O-Ashbrook Farm and Upland Flats Racing; B-Lynn B. Schiff (KY); T-George R. Arnold, II. $57,750.
Margins: HF, 4HF, 1. Odds: 2.16, 2.38, 4.88.
Also Ran: Sterling Silver, Maryquitecontrary, Hot and Sultry, Big Pond, Icicles.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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Gun Runner’s Vahva Best in Raven Run

Closing out her sixth year in the training ranks, Cherie DeVaux added yet another notch on her belt, collecting her first Keeneland stakes victory in Saturday's feature, the GII Lexus Raven Run S. Helping her achieve that goal, DeVaux was represented by GIII Charles Town Oaks winner Vahva (Gun Runner), who was accompanied by Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez, also aboard in her last-out score in West Virginia.

“I don't know if there are words to really describe that,” said a visibly moved DeVaux following the win. “Our team has really worked hard with all of our horses, especially this filly, and it's just so rewarding.”

Sent off at 5-2 behind 4-5 choice Alva Starr (Lord Nelson), Vahva broke alertly from post 4 and was tucked in along the inside as the favorite raced to the front, carving out an opening quarter in :22.61. Continuing to show the way through a :45.48 half as GIII Remington Park Oaks runner-up Ancient Peace (War Front) forced the issue in a three-wide second while Vahva continued to bide her time in third, Alva Starr rounded the home turn in control and appeared en route to victory. Set down for the stretch run under a strong hand ride by Velazquez, Vahva slowly reeled in the game pacesetter, poked her head in front late and inched away in the final strides to collect her second consecutive graded stakes victory. Dazzling Blue (Into Mischief) was a long way off in third.

DeVaux said, “Johnny and I have had great success this year in stakes races, and I told him, 'There's one thing we haven't done yet, and that's come into the infield [at Keeneland] for a trophy presentation,' so I'm elated that he got that done. It's beautiful [out here].”

A winner in her third career start at Churchill Downs last November, the $280,000 Keeneland September buy finished third behind Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief) in her stakes bow in the Dec. 26 Untapable S. before finishing fourth to that classy filly again in the 1 1/16-mile GII Rachel Alexandra S. Feb. 18. Cutting back to 6 1/2 furlongs for a Keeneland optional claimer in April, she was beaten narrowly by next-out stakes winner Positano Sunset (Goldencents) and came right back to score at the same distance at Churchill May 5.

Prior to her Aug. 25 Charles Town Oaks score, she finished a respectable third behind the ill-fated Maple Leaf Mel (Cross Traffic) in Belmont's GIII Victory Ride S. July 8. Velazquez was aboard for her two most recent races prior to the Raven Run.

“We took the same approach [as the Charles Town Oaks, also seven furlongs but around two turns],” explained Velazquez. “She came running and we tried to get a good position. Obviously, we knew the speed horse [runner-up Alva Starr] was going to be really tough to beat. Cherie has done a great job with the horse and gave me the opportunity to stay with her.”

He added, “Everything worked out good. I got close to the heels of the horse in front (Alva Starr), held my position and when I pulled her out, she responded. That's all you can ask of the horses. She was there for me, and she did it all.”

Pedigree Notes:
Stakes-winning Holiday Soiree, who also finished third in the GI Humana Distaff, was secured by Rock Ridge Thoroughbreds for $160,000 at Keeneland November in 2021. The 14-year-old mare will be re-offered at next month's Keeneland sale under the Warrendale banner. Since her purchase, she produced a filly by City of Light in 2022 followed by a Nyquist filly this term. She was bred back to City of Light.

Saturday, Keeneland
LEXUS RAVEN RUN S.-GII, $349,375, Keeneland, 10-21, 3yo, f, 7f, 1:23.28, ft.
1–VAHVA, 118, f, 3, by Gun Runner
                1st Dam: Holiday Soiree (SW & GISP, $405,642),
                                by Harlan's Holiday
                2nd Dam: Try to Remember, by Include
                3rd Dam: Casanova Striker, by Smart Strike
($280,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-Belladonna Racing, LLC, Edward
Hudson, Jr., West Point Thoroughbreds, LBD Stable LLC, Nice
Guys Stables, Manganaro Bloodstock, Runnels Racing, Steve
Hornstock and Twin Brook Stables; B-Woodford
Thoroughbreds, LLC (KY); T-Cherie DeVaux; J-John R.
Velazquez. $211,575. Lifetime Record: 10-4-2-2, $873,810.
*1/2 to Signal From Noise (Arrogate), SP, $163,990.
Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Alva Starr, 120, f, 3, Lord Nelson–Sittin At the Bar, by Into
Mischief. O-P. Dale Ladner; B-Brett A. Brinkman & P. Dale
Ladner (KY); T-Brett A. Brinkman. $68,250.
3–Dazzling Blue, 118, f, 3, Into Mischief–Blue Violet, by Curlin.
($500,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-Juddmonte; B-WinStar Farm, LLC
(KY); T-Brad H. Cox. $34,125.
Margins: HF, 12HF, HF. Odds: 2.53, 0.90, 7.77.
Also Ran: Apple Picker, Lily Poo, Lady Radler, Ancient Peace. Scratched: Nom de Plume, Simply Stated.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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The Sun Shines Bright On Weekend Graded Stakes

I don't mean to tease any New York racing connections when I say this, but the real standout when it comes to racing this weekend might be the beautiful Fall weather.

Graded-stakes action is happening at Keeneland and Woodbine on Saturday and both tracks should feature sunny skies and seasonal, if perhaps slightly below-average, temperatures. That leaves the racing to heat things up and Keeneland takes center stage with the GII Lexus Raven Run S. over seven furlongs for the 3-year-old fillies. A field of nine will line up led by the nearly undefeated Alva Starr (Lord Nelson). Her only two losses, if you can call them that, were both narrow second-place efforts when facing tough company at Oaklawn Park and Churchill Downs back in May. She's stepped up since, posting a 6 3/4-length win in Delaware's Dashing Beauty S. and topping that off with an 8 3/4-length romp in the GII Prioress S. at Saratoga Sept. 2. In her first work at Keeneland, she fired a best-of-18 bullet, going five furlongs in :58 Oct. 8 for trainer Brett Brinkman.

Situated just to the favorite's inside, Dazzling Blue (Into Mischief) went three-for-three to start her career before running second to Maple Leaf Mel (Cross Traffic) in Belmont's GIII Victory Ride S. July 8. Third but well beaten behind Alva Starr as the odds-on favorite in the Prioress, the $500,000 KEESEP grad will look to turn the tables on that rival for Juddmonte and trainer Brad Cox.

Charles Town Oaks winner Vahva (Gun Runner) also brings a run of recent good form in for Cherie DeVaux. Third in that Victory Ride at Belmont, she posted a career-best 92 Beyer Speed Figure in that Charles Town win and her only two major defeats both came at the hands of MGISW winner Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief) at the Fair Grounds earlier in the year. She's also one of only two fillies in the field (the other being Lady Radler {Kantharos}) with experience over the Keeneland oval.

North of the border, Woodbine plays host to the GIII Ontario Derby with thrilling Breeders' S. winner Touch'n Ride (Candy Ride {Arg}) coming back off short rest. Fifth after a troubled trip in the King's Plate Aug. 20, the 3-year-old gelding just out-dueled talented filly Elysian Field (Hard Spun) on the grass to nab the third leg of the Canadian Triple Crown. Back on the Tapeta Saturday for his first try at 1 1/8 miles, he keeps leading rider Kazushi Kimura aboard.

Another Canadian Triple Crown race winner lines up just to inside with Prince of Wales S. victor Velocitor (Mor Spirit) turning back to the all-weather off that score in the slop at Fort Erie Sept. 12. And while the field won't have Elysian Field to contend with Saturday, they'll have another pair of fillies to test in GIII Selene S. winner Solo Album (Curlin), who faces the boys for the first time, and last-out Ontario Damsel S. heroine Forever Dixie (Quality Road), a respectable fourth in last year's GIII Grey S. against males, to the outside.

The racing returns to Kentucky Sunday with just a single graded-stakes race on the card: the GIII Rood and Riddle Dowager S. The marathon 1 1/2-mile turf contest for fillies and mares attracted the top two finishers of the GIII Ladies Marathon S. in Vergara (Noble Mission {GB}) and Transient (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}). For the 5-year-old Transient, both of her prior starts over Sunday's distance were defeats to fellow entry Personal Best (Tapit) who also exits the Ladies Marathon from fourth. Only two of these fillies (the previously mentioned Vergara and Loved Reiko {Tapit}) have wins over this distance while there are several runners in the field trying the stretch out for the first time.

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Lord Nelson’s Alva Starr Powerful in the Prioress

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.

 

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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