Wilmington, Del., June 5, 2024 — P. Dale Ladner’s Alva Starr went over the $1 million career earnings mark with an easy 9 ¾-length romp in the $100,000 Rehoboth Stakes at Delaware Park today.
With Mychel Sanchez aboard, the 4-year-old daughter of Lord Nelson cut early fractions of :22.43 for the quarter-mile and :46.42 for the half-mile before completing the six furlongs in 1:13.10 over a fast-main track. The Kentucky-bred conditioned by Brett Brinkman returned $2.10 as the favorite in the field of four. Red Hot Mess, with John Hiraldo, finished second. It was another 7 ¾-lengths farther back to Gracie Diamond, with Kevin Gomez, in third.
Previously, Alva Starr ran second in the Derby City Distaff at Churchill Downs on May 4. On April 6, she won the Grade I Madison Stakes at Keeneland. She raised her Delaware Park career record to three wins from three starts including her maiden score in 2022 and her first career stakes victory in the Dashing Beauty last year. Her career record is six wins and four seconds from ten starts with earnings of $1,028,450.
“It is great for the family, it is great for us and it is quite an accomplishment,” said winning trainer Brett Brinkman. “We own the whole family, so we are very happy to have a filly of this quality and to have the luck to get her to a million dollars. It is not an easy task in this business. This race just fit in our schedule. She came out of here really good last year and it is a great place to train. It is a great place to race. The plan right now is for her to head to Saratoga for the Grade II sprint race.”
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