In a record unmatched by its peers, the Starlight Racing team has achieved success at the heights of North America’s elite Grade I racing sphere for nine consecutive years. This remarkable accomplishment reflects Starlight’s primary goal—competing and winning at the highest level—and its commitment and ability to reach that goal.
Take the Points, a $160,000 purchase as a yearling in 2007, has led the way over the last two years, capturing the Secretariat Stakes (GI) at Arlington Park and the Jamaica Handicap (GI) at Belmont Park. He was unlucky earlier this year to lose the Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap (GI) through disqualification. This handsome gray son of Even The Score then went on to run a gallant 5th in the $5,000,000 Dubai Duty Free (GI) held at the new Meydan race course in Dubai and most recently ran 4th in the Manhattan Handicap (GI). His lifetime earnings are $ 793,590 to date. With perhaps his best races ahead of him, his next start being the $750,000 United Nations (GI) at Monmouth Park in July, Take The Points has established a significant residual value as a stallion prospect, multiplying his return on investment.
And Take the Points is just one of many partnership horses who have displayed promising talent. Other four-year-olds carrying the stable’s blue and yellow silks include multiple graded stakes-placed Checklist, twice a winner at Gulfstream Park where he two starts ago he ran just a tick of the track record. In his most recent start he was a very game 3rd in the True North Handicap (GII). He has the makings of a top sprinter and has the pedigree to be a much sought after stallion. His lifetime earnings to date are $129,334. Tiger’s Rock, a son of international leading sire Giant’s Causeway, is a dual stakes winner for us, capturing 2 stakes at Aqueduct this past winter. His lifetime earnings are currently $130,985.
Starlight’s platoon of 2010 three year old runners has already yielded smart winners. Ailalea, a daughter of Pulpit and a half sister to stakes winner Spritely won the Tempted Stakes (GIII) last fall at Aqueduct, then went on to run a solid 5th in the Kentucky Oaks (GI). She was back in the winner’s circle again, when taking the Dogwood Stakes (GIII) at Churchill in her last start at the end of May. She is pointing to the Mother Goose Stakes (GI) at Belmont in a few weeks where she will take on some of the best three year old fillies in the country. Her earnings to date are $186,525. Caminadora, a daughter of More Than Ready is also a stakes performer, picking up valuable black type last year and then going on to win the Regret Stakes (GIII) at Churchill on Saturday brining her lifetime earnings to $144,878. Both of these fillies look to be exciting three year old prospects for 2010 giving us great hope for the future.
Starlight Racing began as the culmination of founders Jack and Laurie Wolf’s virtually lifelong interest in racing. The Wolfs acquired Harlan’s Holiday for $97,000 in 2000 and this standout colt went on to win the Florida Derby (GI), the Blue Grass Stakes (GI) and the Donn Handicap (GI) in 2002 and 2003 as well as carry the Wolfs all the way to the United Arab Emirates, where he was a strong second in the $6-million Dubai World Cup, earning $1.2-million for that effort alone. Overall, Harlan’s Holiday bankrolled $3,632,664 and transitioned from being an exciting stallion prospect to his current standing as a respected and valuable sire.
Ashado raised the bar even higher for Starlight, earning championship laurels as America’s best three-year-old filly in 2004 and as best older filly or mare in 2005 while racing for the Wolfs and partners. A $170,000 yearling purchase, Ashado triumphed in Grade I races at two, three and four, winning six overall, including the ultra prestigious Breeders’ Cup Distaff (GI) and Kentucky Oaks (GI). After collecting $3,931,440 on the track, Ashado generated maximum electricity in the sales ring, eliciting a world record bid of $9 million from Dubai’s ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum.
While Ashado was still racing, Purge emerged as the stable’s next star, capping his career with a victory in the 2005 Cigar Mile Handicap (G1) in New York following 2004 wins in the Peter Pan (GII) and Jim Dandy (GII) Stakes. A $180,000 yearling acquisition, Purge earned $905,434 before embarking on a promising stud career.
After Donald and Barbara Lucarelli joined the Starlight team as principals in 2004, they and the Wolfs soon celebrated the feats of the stunning filly Octave, who won the 2006 Adirondack Breeders’ Cup Stakes (GII) and finished a close second in both the Matron Stakes (GII) and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (GII). In 2007, Octave collected trophies by winning two of America’s premier races for three-year-old fillies, the Mother Goose Stakes (GI) and the Coaching Club American Oaks (GI). Retired with earnings of $1,660,934, the $350,000 yearling purchase Octave was sold to Sheikh Mohammed for $4 million.
In 2008, Monba burst from out of the pack to win the Blue Grass Stakes (GI) at Keeneland and take the Starlight team to the Kentucky Derby (GI) as the stable’s fourth starter in America’s most popular race. A $200,000 yearling selection, Monba earned $669,034 and was sold privately for stud duty in Pennsylvania after incurring a minor injury in mid-2009. Prior to Monba, the Wolfs and Lucarellis also campaigned Keyed Entry, who won the Hutchenson Stakes (GII) at Gulfstream equally the track record for that distance. He also went on to run in the Kentucky Derby (GI) and is now at stud standing in Florida
Most of Starlight’s unrivaled success has been achieved under the guidance of four-time Eclipse Award-winning and Kentucky Derby winning trainer Todd Pletcher. Typically, jockeys such as Edgar Prado, Garrett Gomez and John Velazquez, all Eclipse Award winners themselves as America’s best riders, are aboard the Starlight runners, giving the stable the significant advantage of professionals who have longstanding records of winning the biggest races at the best racetracks.
We are proud to offer our partners access to the highest echelon of racing in North America. With exciting two year olds to look forward to this year that include sons of Empire Maker, Medaglia d’Oro, Giant’s Causeway, Pulpit, and Henny Hughes, and daughters of Rock Hard Ten, Giant’s Causeway and More Than Ready, we are anticipating visiting many more winner’s circles in the coming years.
We will be offering our 2010 partners shares in 12-18 yearlings that we will purchase at the upcoming summer yearling sales in Kentucky and Saratoga. We are hoping these new purchases will duplicate the success we have had in the past years.