STELLAR refers to something relating to stars (astronomical) or, most commonly, something of exceptionally high quality, outstanding, or brilliant – for example a stellar performance. It implies excellence or superiority in performance, quality, or reputation.

The racemare Stellar Wind (Curlin) was well named, though few might have imagined she would reach the heights that she did on the track. She was bred in Virginia by two of the biggest names in the business, Keswick Stables and Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings, and sold twice as a yearling, for $40,000 and $86,000, though these sales were held only seven weeks or so apart.

From the third crop of her sire, Stellar Wind was initially sent into training with Donald Barr. Placed on her debut at Laurel Park, she reappeared at the same track four weeks later and won by almost nine lengths. She was purchased by bloodstock agent David Ingordo, on behalf of trainer John W. Sadler for Hronis Racing

Stellar Wind ended her second year racing with an Eclipse Award for being champion three-year-old filly. She won the Grade 3 Santa Ysabel Stakes on her first outing for her new connections, and immediately stepped into Grade 1 company in the Santa Anita Oaks. She won by more than five lengths. She ran fourth in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks.

Back at Santa Anita, Stellar Wind resumed winning ways in the Grade 2 Summertime Oaks at Santa Anita before adding the Grade 3 Torrey Pines Stakes at Del Mar. For the final race of her sophomore year, Stellar Wind was pitched in against older fillies and mares in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Keeneland, and lost nothing when running second by a neck to the four-year-old Stopchargingmaria.

On her first appearance at four, Stellar Wind was matched against the outstanding Beholder in the Grade 1 Vanity Mile at Santa Anita and finished second, a length and a half behind her older rival. Less than two months after that Stellar Wind faced Beholder again, this time in the Grade 1 Clement L. Hirsch at Del Mar, and turned the tables. She confirmed that form when beating Beholder again in the Grade 1 Zenyatta Stakes, taking victory by a neck.

Then it was on to the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Distaff, to again face Beholder and the undefeated filly Songbird. Every runner in the race was a Grade 1 winner, but a poor start didn’t help and Stellar Wind finished fourth behind Forever Unbridled, Songbird and Beholder. A plan to sell Stellar Wind was put on hold and she remained in training at five.

Fourth season

Stellar Wind started her fourth season racing by landing the Grade 1 Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn Park and then it was on to the renamed Grade 1 Beholder Mile, and another victory. That day she beat Vale Dori, and did so again by a neck in the Grade 1 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes, winning this race for the second time. Sadler then decided to keep Stellar Wind fresh for the Breeders’ Cup, three months away, but the plan backfired, and she finished last in the Distaff.

Four days later Stellar Wind was back in the news when she sold to M.V. Magnier at Keeneland for a sale-topping $6 million, but a small surprise lay in store. Instead of heading straight to Ashford Stud, the mare moved to Chad Brown and made one more start at six, in the $16 million Pegasus World Cup where victory would have got the Coolmore team their money back. However, the run was far from smooth and she finished sixth.

Not for the first time, a major investment in a broodmare prospect had looked somewhat dubious when Stellar Wind’s first two foals, a son and daughter by Galileo (Sadler’s Wells), were unraced and unplaced in four starts respectively. The latter was A Moment Like This, and she sold in foal to Justify (Scat Daddy) for $350,000 in 2024. Stellar Wind’s third foal was Magnify (Justify), and he won a Del Mar maiden on the last of just three starts he made at three.

In The Stars

Interestingly, Coolmore sold the fourth foal out of Stellar Wind, also a filly, for $300,000 as a yearling. Named In The Stars (Into Mischief), she won twice last year and placed twice, and she earned more than $200,000. Her eighth and final start was in a Grade 2 where she was found wanting. Now, and with her fifth foal, Stellar Wind has delivered. Her three-year-old son Plutarch (Into Mischief) earned valuable Kentucky Derby points with his weekend victory.

Runner-up in the Grade 3 Del Mar Juvenile Turf Stakes and third in the Grade 1 American Pharoah Stakes last year before he won his maiden in December, Plutarch gave trainer Bob Baffert his eighth consecutive win, and 14th in total, in the Grade 3 Robert B Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita, and here is a colt who seems to be equally at home on turf or on dirt. His weekend win was in a race which has been won by many distinguished runners, and Sue Magnier, Derrick Smith and Michael Tabor have another potential star.

Stellar Wind was covered last year by Justify, and her most recent offspring is a two-year-old daughter of Gun Runner (Candy Ride). She was sent to Japan last year, where Coolmore has been granted an owner’s permit. Intriguingly, there are two past winners of the Robert B Lewis Stakes in the immediate family, Mor Spirit (Eskendereya) and Great Hunter (Aptitude), and both of these were Grade 1 winners. Can Plutarch make it three?