Friday, March 20, 2009

Champion Stardom Bound at Keeneland to Prepare for Ashland

Lexington, KY (March 20, 2009) – Champion Stardom Bound arrived at Keeneland on Wednesday, March 18, and will have her first breeze over the Polytrack on Saturday as she prepares for her next scheduled start in the $400,000 Ashland Stakes (G1) on April 4.

“That's what we're here for,” said trainer Rick Dutrow about the Ashland. Stardom Bound will make her first start for Dutrow in the Keeneland stakes, after having raced for trainer Bobby Frankel in her two previous races of 2009.


Stardom Bound, a three-year-old daughter of Tapit, is owned by IEAH Stables, Paul Pompa Jr., Michael Dubb and Golden Goose Enterprises LLC. The filly is coming off a nose victory in the Santa Anita Oaks (G1) on March 7 at Santa Anita. She has won five consecutive Grade 1 races, including the Bessemer Trust Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) last October. Recipient of the 2008 Eclipse Award as champion two-year-old filly, Stardom Bound has five wins in seven starts and earnings of $1,780,600 in her career.

Bred in Kentucky by Fletcher Gray, Carolyn Gray and John Youngblood, Stardom Bound was sold at the 2007 Keeneland September Yearling Sale for $50,000. A colt by Roman Ruler that is a half-brother to Stardom Bound will be offered by Eddie Woods, agent, at the Keeneland April Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale, to be held April 6-7.

Dutrow currently has three horses at Keeneland, including stakes winner Patena, a son of Seeking the Gold that is being pointed toward the $750,000 Toyota Blue Grass (G1) on April 11. At Fair Grounds, Patena was second to Friesan Fire in the Lecomte (G3) and is coming off an eighth-place finish to Friesan Fire in the Louisiana Derby (G2).

Keeneland opened its barn area on Monday, March 16 and begins its 15-day spring race meeting on Friday, April 3. Through April 24, the track will offer $3.8 million in purses for 17 stakes races in one of the richest stakes programs in North America.

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