stellify โขAscends to Filly โ& Mare Turf Contender with Dominant Kentucky Downs Double
FRANKLIN, KY – September 7, 2024 – stellify, a four-year-old filly trained by โขBrad Cox, has rapidly emergedโ as a force in the โขfilly โขand mareโ turf division following a pair of impressive victoriesโข at Kentucky Downs. The daughter of Justify secured winsโฃ in both an allowanceโค race โon August 28 and the $2 million Lightโ and Wonder Ladies Marathon on September โฃ6, โฃshowcasing her speed and stamina on the track’s unique European-style โcourse.
Stellify entered the kentucky Downs meet off back-to-back wins atโค Churchill Downs, having โraced just six times in her career. She madeโ a โstatement on opening day, โleading at every stage to win the โmile-and-a-half allowance โrace by twoโ lengths. this performance prompted Cox to enter her in the lucrative Ladies Marathon โขjust eightโฃ days later โข- a fast turnaround uncommon inโ modern racing.
“We had aโ fresh โhorse coming into the โmeet and she won her allowance race fairly easilyโข so we felt like she was ready to go again,” Cox โฃexplained. “She broke withโข intent and that’sโฃ what โขwe wantedโ to see. When she gets into โan early rhythm she canโ carry โher speed for a distance.”
In the mile-and-five-sixteenths Marathon, Stellify again took command immediately, setting comfortableโฃ fractions ofโข 26.1 seconds for the โขquarter โmile and 49.57 forโ the half mile while leading the โฃeleven-horse field. Sheโฃ extendedโข her lead turning forโฃ home and ultimately crossedโข theโ finish line two lengths ahead of the competition.
The Kentucky Downs double has boosted Stellify’s career record to four wins in six starts, โขwith a second and a third-place finish. Her earnings now total $1,442,604.
“She passed her first graded stakes test with flying colors,” Cox said. “She is a nice filly and we are โคleaving optionsโข open right now. I certainly think thereโข is more left and we are excited about โคherโค future.”
With the โขBreeders’ Cupโ approaching on November 1 at del Mar,a โขtrackโข known forโ favoring speed,stellify appears poised to continue her ascent as a major contender in โขthe โฃfilly and mare โturf division.