Stellar Wind

Peggy Augustus, a successful owner and breeder who bred Eclipse Award winners Stellar Wind (Curlin) and Johnny D. (Stage Door Johnny), passed away Sunday at her home on her Old Keswick Farm in Charlottesville, VA. She was 90. Her death was confirmed by one of her former trainers, Bill Hirsch Jr. "She was a great lady, just one of the best," Hirsch said. "The thing I remember most about her was that, unlike most owners, she knew how to win and she knew how to lose. A lot of them...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Thursday's Observations features a daughter of American champion Stellar Wind (Curlin). 14.35 Doncaster, Mdn, £6,800, 2yo, 6f 2yT John Deer's homebred RUSSET GOLD (GB) (Al Kazeem {GB}) is a Roger Varian-trained full-brother Listed Denford S. winner Saint Lawrence (Ire). The April-foaled chestnut, also a half-brother to dual group-winning GI...

Abel Tasman (Quality Road), Beholder (Henny Hughes), Stephanie's Kitten (Kitten's Joy), Plum Pretty (Medaglia d'Oro), Stellar Wind (Curlin) and Flower Alley (Distorted Humor). These names are recognizable champions, classic winners, and high-profile Grade I winners. Another common thread they all share is they were bred during their respective sires' third season, on stud fees ranging from $12,500 to $40,000. It took their breeders' confidence, gumption, and desire to not just go with the status quo and avoid young sires that were in their "bubble years." Breeding Thoroughbreds is a long-term...

"Inside the Winner's Circle, Presented by Keeneland" is a series showcasing graduates of the Keeneland September sale who have gone on to achieve success on racing's biggest stages. Trainer John Sadler does a lot of things well. But give him a chance to get a feel for a horse, what it needs and let it develop at its own pace and there may be no one better. It's probably no coincidence that the two best horses he's ever trained, Accelerate (Lookin at Lucky) and Stellar Wind (Curlin) both had their...

Hronis Racing's Stellar Wind (Curlin) has had nothing short of an exceptional season. The chestnut took both the GII Santa Ysabel S. Feb. 28 and GI Santa Anita Oaks Apr. 4 going 1 1/16 miles in Arcadia. She closed decisively to finish fourth as the favorite behind Lovely Maria (Majesticperfection) when stretching out to 1 1/8 miles in the GI Kentucky Oaks May 1 and was given almost a two-month break after that run. She returned with a nose victory in the GII Summertime Oaks at Santa Anita June 20...