Stellify makes it two wins at the meet in 10 days. (Jenny Doyle/Past The Wire)
Kentucky Downs Release
FRANKLIN, Ky. – Elements Racing, George Messina and Michael Lee’s Stellify, making her stakes debut off a front-running victory over the course just 10 days earlier, pulled off a near-identical trip under jockey Florent Geroux to register a popular 2 ¾-length triumph in the $2 million Light & Wonder Ladies Marathon Invitational (G3) Saturday at Kentucky Downs.
The 14th running of the 1 5/16-mile Ladies Marathon Invitational for fillies and mares 3 and up was the first of six stakes, five graded, worth $13 million in purses anchored by the $2.5 million Kentucky Turf Cup (G2).
Bred in Kentucky by WinStar Farm and trained by Brad Cox, 4-year-old Stellify covered a turf course rated good in 2:06.84 to extend her win streak to four races in her first season of competition after the daughter of 2018 Triple Crown champion Justify went unraced at ages 2 and 3.
“She won fairly easily last week. We took her up to Saratoga with the intention of running in a two-other-than and it didn’t go,” Cox said. “At that point, we decided to just train up to this. We had a fresh horse when we got here to start the meet.
“The plan was to break with intent. We didn’t know what [No Mo Candy] was going to do from the outside,” he added. “She broke running. She just gets into that one big rhythm and keeps running. This was her first graded stakes attempt, and she passed with flying colors. I would think there’s more left.”
Stellify broke alertly and immediately settled in her familiar spot up front, going the opening quarter-mile in 26.10 seconds pressed to her outside by No Mo Candy, who is winless this year after capturing Pebbles (G3) last fall. Beach Bomb (SAF), a Group 1 winner in her native South Africa who won back-to-back Grade 3 races to open this year, raced third in the three path with longshot Ayra Stark on the inside in fourth.
The half-mile went in 49.57 seconds with the order unchanged while Argentinean Group 1 winner Gran Mirella (ARG) got herself into contention in fifth after six furlongs in 1:13 as Geroux sat chilly on Stellify approaching the sweeping left-handed far turn of the unique European-style grass course.
It was still Stellify in command as the field straightened for home with English-bred French invader Miwa (GB) rolling past No Mo Candy to mount a challenge, but Stellify was undeterred and began to extend her advantage as Way to Be Marie came with a steady late run to get up for second. Miwa held third over Duvet Day. Nadette (FR), Beach Bomb, Boss Lady Bailey, Ayra Stark, Spanish Eyes, No Mo Candy and Gran Mirella completed the order of finish.
“It was pretty simple. She broke very good for me and I was able to make the lead very easily,” Geroux said. “She just really enjoys the course, especially when they go downhill. She really extends her stride and I created a little bit of separation there. She really likes the course a lot. That’s a nice filly. We always had high hopes for her.
“The first time [she ran] she broke good, but we were a little disappointed with the way she ran. We thought she was going to win,” he added. “She came back again, and we were kind of like, ‘What are we missing here?’ We gave her a bit of time and she came back at Churchill and at Churchill I told the connections right away I think we have something here. You can tell she really enjoys the distance and thought she was going to be a stronger horse. She’s got four wins in a row now.”
Sent off as the 2-1 favorite over 10 rivals, Stellify returned $6.22 to win.
Out of the Medaglia d’Oro mare Savvy Star, Stellify fetched $140,000 as a Keeneland September yearling in 2022. She made her race debut over the winter at Fair Grounds, then broke her maiden with a two-length triumph May 1 at Churchill Downs on the undercard of the Kentucky Oaks (G1). A front-running four-length allowance winner going 1 3/8 miles June 12 at Churchill, she led all the way to win a 1 ½-mile second-level optional claimer by two lengths Aug. 28.
Stellify is one of only two horses owned by cousins Messina and Lee; the other is Belmont Oaks (G1) winner Fionn, the likely favorite in Wednesday’s $2 million Blackwood Dueling Grounds Oaks Invitational (G3). Elements Racing’s Stephen Smith, who is not partners in Fionn, shares ownership in $1 million Kentucky Downs Juvenile Fillies winner Meringue.
“This partnership has been unbelievable. It’s been quite a blessing for us, and we’re truly getting shined upon right now,” Lee said. “We’re getting more than we deserve.”
“How difficult it is to win two races in a row at any level, let alone four in a row at this level,” Smith said. “Incredible job by the Cox filly, Florent and that filly. She’s just a beast.”
