CHAMPION STELLAR WIND RETURNS A WINNER IN APPLE BLOSSOM

By Jennifer Hoyt —-

HOT SPRINGS, AR (Friday, April 13, 2017) –

Apple Blossom Quotes:

Victor Espinoza (jockey, winner Stellar Wind) – On wearing the blanket of white and hot-pink carnations, which he said weighed 200 pounds): “Listen, when I win, nothing is heavy. I mean, these weigh more than me. But now that I win with Stellar Wind, I feel like they are light.”

On his trip: “It was great. I thought it was good when she broke out of there great. Then in the first turn, I thought my trip was not so good because I got stuck in behind the leaders on the inside. I think, OK, if the outside horse doesn’t get tired at the end, I might have some trouble. But it worked out well. Because the other one couldn’t keep up with the leader. I had a little time to move out and just move forward to attack the one on the lead.”

“I think she’s better than before. I always believed in her As she’s gotten older, she’s more mature, more professional. But it seems like this year, she’s coming back great, and maybe even a little better than last year.”

“I really do want her to run in the Breeders’ Cup and get her a win. She’s had a little bit of bad luck the last two times. The first time, she got carried a little wide and I just got beat at Keeneland. Last time, she missed the break and that was it. The race was over for her. Hopefully this will be her year.”

John Sadler (trainer, winner Stellar Wind) – “There’s plenty of reservations, always with good horses, that you’re doing the right thing (bringing them for another season). After her 3-year-old year, we talked about going two more years. She’s a late-maturing filly, and we thought she had a chance to be her best at 4 and 5. Kosta said last year, ‘If you think she’s going to be good, we don’t want to stop on her.’ She came out of the Breeders’ Cup in good shape, gave her a little rest and got her back here.”

“I was happy she had an eye on that 1 horse (Terra Promessa). I didn’t want that horse to get too easy a lead. So he was stalking her from the inside, then he came to the outside. I knew as long as Victor had an eye on the 1 horse, we’d be in good shape. She’s got a nice kick and a lot of ability to go the distance.

“Terra Promessa ran a great race. Barbara Banke (owner of Terra Promessa and co-breeder of Stellar Wind) came up to the table and said, ‘I hope it’s a Curlin exacta.’ I said, ‘Me, too.’ Just thinking with a different Curlin.”

(Note: Both horses were sired by Curlin, whom Banke campaigned with her late husband Jess Jackson.)

“We’ll get her home and look at the races around the country. We’d like to run once at home. It’s her home base. Probably run in the Beholder (stakes formerly named the Vanity and now named for the multiple champion that Stellar Wind beat twice and lost to twice last year).”

Winning owner Kosta Hronis: “She wanted another year under her belt, she wanted to race. She’s in great shape, so we thought we’d keep her on the track at least another year. We’re happy with her comeback race. Just really proud of her.”

(Unfinished business in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff?) “She definitely does. That’s probably one of the main reasons she’s back (racing). We love her.”

Stephanie Hronis: “Just honored to be part of the journey with her. She’s special.”

Steve Asmussen (trainer of second-place Terra Promessa, and who also trained two-time Horse of the Year Curlin, who is the sire of the top two finishers): “She ran a good race. I mean, she really did. Hat’s off to a champion who beat her, but Terra Promessa definitely ran a good race. A nice Curlin exacta.

“As bad as the Azeri went, I think she rebounded from that. No aftereffects from the trip in the Azeri and she ran her race today. She got beat by arguably the best mare in the country, and she’ll go to Churchill Downs from here. And if we think she needs a little time, (owner) Stonestreet, the farm where she spent a lot of time at, is right there. But she ran a very good race today to be second to a champion.”

Jockey Jose Ortiz, second aboard Terra Promessa – “I think she ran great. She broke great and ran the half in: 481 which was perfect I think. When I asked her to go, she gave me a great turn of foot. The other filly did so well too. We went head to head and she beat me today, but my filly gave a great effort.”

Trainer Brian Williamson, third with Streamline – “She ran good, we were just third best. It isn’t any shame to get beat by those two, I’m going to tell you that. That’s all we can ask for. Looked like she pulled up good.”

Jockey Chris Landeros, third aboard Streamline – “She ran good, no excuses. (If I could do something differently) I would have stayed with Terra Promessa.”

Cover Photo: Stellar Wind; Zoe Metz Photography