WinStar breds scored stakes triumphs from coast to coast on Saturday afternoon as Stellify captured the Grade 3, $2.2 million Ladies Marathon Invitational S. at Kentucky Downs and Dreaming of Alys won the $100,000 Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf S.
Trained by Brad Cox, Stellify made her stakes debut in the 1 5/16-mile event, where she led at every point of call en route to a 2 ¾-length conquest. The win was the daughter of Justify’s fourth consecutive trip to the winner’s circle, entering from just over a week’s rest after a second-level allowance score at Kentucky Downs. Stellify earned a career-high 92 Beyer Speed Figure as well as over $1.1 million for the win.
Stellify was a $140,000 acquisition at the 2022 Keeneland September Yearling Sale for owners Elements Racing, George Messina, and Michael Lee. Hailing from the prestigious La Troienne broodmare line, she is out of the Medaglia d’Oro mare Savvy Star who is a half-sister to WinStar bred and owned Grade 1-winning millionaire Bluegrass Cat.
Agave Racing Stable, Medallion Racing, and Evan Trommer’s Dreaming of Alys made her turf debut a winning one when she lit up the toteboard at 62-1 odds in the Del Mar Juvenile Fillies S. The Upstart juvenile filly settled in midpack of the 11-horse field early on, and swung wide around the turn before taking command past the stretch call to win by one length.
Dreaming of Alys entered the Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf from a distant sixth-place finish in the Grade 3 Sorrento over the dirt in her debut for trainer Phil D’Amato. A $45,000 buy from the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, she is out of the Street Sense mare Grammajo.
