Malathaat Li'l Sis Green, But Good; Also Named a 'Rising Star'

The immaculately bred Julia Shining (f, 2, Curlin–Dreaming of Julia, by A. P. Indy) looked the unlikeliest of winners as the field for Sunday's sixth race at Keeneland raced down the backstretch, but she found her best stride on the turn, inhaled her rivals with a wide sweep and fought on the to the wire to join her MGISW full-sister Malathaat as a 'TDN Rising Star.'

Bet down to 2-1, the Stonestreet homebred broke well enough, but then traveled extremely awkwardly and as green as the turf course, climbing badly for the opening quarter mile and looking like her mind was somewhere other than on the task at hand. Vigorously ridden by Luis Saez into the final half-mile, she finally picked up the bit about three furlongs from the wire and began to make eyecatching headway, but she had no choice but to take the overland route and traveled some six or seven wide into the stretch.

In front soon after, Julia Shining carried the lead into the final eighth of a mile, but her inexperience began to catch up with her yet again, as drifted noticeably to her left and down towards the fence. But Saez managed to keep her alive and she'd done enough by then to hit the wire 2 3/4 lengths to the good of Positano Sunset (Goldencents). The winner covered 29 feet (about three lengths) more than the runner-up and unsurprisingly endured the widest trip among the 12 juvenile fillies. Julia Shining is the 21st 'TDN Rising Star' for her Hill 'n' Dale-based super-sire.

Dream Rush, winner of the 2007 GI Test S., was acquired by Halsey Minor for $3.3 million at that year's Fasig-Tipton November Sale and remained in training through early 2009, when she was acquired privately by Stonestreet. Sent to A.P. Indy for her first covering, the result was Dreaming of Julia, also named a 'Rising Star' on her Saratoga debut in 2012 and subsequent winner of that year's GI Frizette S. Also third to Beholder (Henny Hughes) in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, she won the 2013 GII Gulfstream Park Oaks by nearly 22 lengths, was a troubled fourth behind stablemate Princess of Sylmar (Majestic Warrior) in the GI Kentucky Oaks and finished runner-up in the GI Mother Goose S. in what became her final career appearance. Dream Rush is also responsible for 'Rising Stars' GSW Dream Pauline (Tapit) and SW Atreides (Medaglia d'Oro).

Dreaming of Julia's third foal was Malathaat (Ch. 3yo Filly, $2,750,825), a $1.05-million purchase by Shadwell at the 2019 Keeneland September Sale, who was named a 'Rising Star' just over two years ago and followed up in the 2020 GII Demoiselle S. Malathaat was the no-brainer choice for champion of her generation in 2021, courtesy of her wins in this track's GI Central Bank Ashland S., the GI Longines Kentucky Oaks and GI Alabama S. She will attempt to improve on her third-place effort in last year's GI Breeders' Cup Distaff in three weeks' time, having prepped with a smooth success in the GI Juddmonte Spinster S. over the Distaff track and distance just last Sunday.

Dreaming of Julia is the dam of a yearling filly by Medaglia d'Oro and a weanling full-sister to Malathaat foaled this past Apr. 4. She was sent to Into Mischief this term.

6th-Keeneland, $100,000, Msw, 10-16, 2yo, f, 7f, 1:29.43, ft, 2 3/4 lengths.
JULIA SHINING, f, 2, by Curlin
1st Dam: Dreaming of Julia (GISW, $874,500), by A.P. Indy
2nd Dam: Dream Rush, by Wild Rush
3rd Dam: Turbo Dream, by Unbridled
Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $56,575. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
O-Stonestreet Stables LLC; B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC (KY); T-Todd A Pletcher.

Pure class & talent runs in this family 😍 JULIA SHINING (Curlin), Malathaat's sister, wins with ease on debut at @keenelandracing. pic.twitter.com/G5MXgJon2i

— TDN (@theTDN) October 16, 2022