ARCADIA, Calif. — Stardom Bound appears to be just that.
The 2-year-old gray filly came through with an electrifying victory in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, the early highlight of Ladies’ Day at Santa Anita.
On the five-race card devoted exclusively to fillies and mares, Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel pulled off an upset in the $1 million Filly &Mare Sprint and former assistant Chad Brown quickly followed in his mentor’s footsteps with a win in the $1 million Juvenile Fillies Turf.
“It was just an incredible performance,” said jockey Mike Smith after leading Stardom Bound to a 1 1/2-length win over Dream Empress. “I’m at a loss for words.”
Trainer Christopher Paasch dubbed his star “Baby Z” in honor of undefeated 4-year-old Zenyatta, running later Friday in the Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic.
Stardom Bound isn’t undefeated. But after gamely finishing off her third straight Grade 1 win, she is unquestionably this season’s champion 2-year-old. Stardom Bound paid $5.20 as the seventh straight favorite to win the Juvenile Fillies, and only one in the first four Cup races Friday to deliver.
Blame it on Frankel, Brown and a dynamite rally by Forever Together in the $2 million BC Filly &Mare Turf.
The 4-year-old gray filly prevailed by three-quarters of a length in a wide-open stretch scramble in which the entire 10-horse field seemingly had a shot in the final yards. Forever Together covered the 11/4 miles in 2:01.58 and paid $11.80, $6.40 and $4.80.
Sealy Hill, ridden by Patrick Husbands, edged Wait A While for second. Wait A While had a chance in the middle of the stretch before fading to third and paid $3.60.
Jockey Julien Leparoux picked up his second career Breeders’ Cup victory by smartly keeping Forever Together outside the jumbled pack.
Earlier Friday, Frankel’s Ventura surged past heavy favorite Indian Blessing midway through the stretch to take the $1 million BC Filly &Mare Sprint, and Brown backed it up by taking the inaugural $1 million Juvenile Fillies Turf half an hour later with Maram.
Ventura, a 4-year-old, moved effortlessly by Indian Blessing in the final eighth-of-a-mile to win by four lengths and cover the seven furlongs in a blistering 1:19.90 over the synthetic Pro-Ride surface.
“She made a devastating run around the turn,” Frankel said. “I was just hoping that she sustained it.”
The win was the sixth Breeders’ Cup victory for Frankel, moving him into a tie for third with Richard Mandella and Neil Drysdale. Ventura paid $7.40 to win.
Indian Blessing, hoping to become a repeat Breeders’ Cup winner for trainer Bob Baffert, held on for second. The 3-year-old had won three straight and captured the BC Juvenile Fillies at Monmouth last year. Zaftig took third.
“She did all she could, but the winner just ran a tremendous race, almost a track record,” Baffert said. “Frankel was right. He was telling me all week he was going to get me, and he did.”
It took Frankel 17 years to break through at horse racing’s richest weekend. It took Brown, who spent several years working for Frankel before going out on his own following last year’s Breeders’ Cup, one race.
Maram held off a challenge from Heart Shaped at the wire to give Brown a win in his Breeders’ Cup debut.
Maram, with Jose Lezcano aboard, stretched her unbeaten streak to three, edging the late-charging Heart Shaped by a nose. The 2-year-old covered the mile in 1:35.15 and paid $24.20.
Heart Shaped, piloted by John Murtagh, couldn’t quite close the gap.
Laragh, the 5-2 favorite, took command early and led by four lengths at the turn for home before fading to third under Edgar Prado.
The races kicked off the two-day Breeders’ Cup.
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