Scratched as the morning-line favorite from Friday's Coronation Cup against her own gender in favor of taking on the boys Sunday, 'TDN Rising Star' Star of Mystery (GB) (Kodiac {GB}) responded in kind with an easy win in the GIII Quick Call Stakes at Saratoga.
A Godolphin runner from the Charlie Appleby barn, the 3-year-old filly began her racing in 'Rising Star' style, winning at second asking by 11 lengths in her native England just over a year ago. A stakes runner now in three countries, Star of Mystery placed in the G2 Duchess of Cambridge Stakes last July before shipping to the Middle East to win both the Al Wasl Stakes and the G2 Blue Point Sprint before wrapping up her international time with a game second, beaten just three-quarters of a length, in the G1 Al Quoz Sprint in Meydan in March. In her first North American start just last month, the filly ran third just 3 3/4 lengths behind record-setting Cogburn (Not This Time) in the GI Jaipur Stakes on Belmont Stakes day June 8.
Still favored in this spot Sunday against the boys again at 3-5, Star of Mystery broke mid pack but was quickly outrun as No Nay Mets (Ire) (No Nay Never) rocketed out and opened up a sizeable gap right from the first furlong. Taken back to race fifth a path off the fence, the favorite bided her time as the field raced in pairs behind the loose leader into the far turn through a quarter in :21.16. The seven runners began to bunch up past the quarter pole as the real running began and Star of Mystery swung to the five path and easily clicked through her gears, swarming up on the outside and outrunning only a mild challenge from Irish import Mansa Musa (Ire) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}) to come home alone on the line. 'TDN Rising Star' Fandom (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) was the best of the Stonestreet runners to come home a clear third.
“She was a handful last time, so I took my time and we went straight behind the gate and she just switched off so nice,” said winning jockey Flavien Prat. “I was a bit worried she was going to sleep, but she was just an old pro today. I was good with the position. She jumped forward where I wasn't going to be too far back. She was traveling well all the way around and when I tipped her out, she [responded]. She just ran very well. She gave me a good kick. [Her kick] was strong enough today.”
Chris Connett, assistant to Appleby added: “Charlie spoke with Flavien [Prat] yesterday and said, 'you've rode the filly before and ideally, we'll be a bit handy, but if you want to let them roll along you can. You know the filly now, so sit the way you're happy with it.' You saw that on the TV she was quite the handful [ahead of the Grade 1 Jaipur]. She was like that in Dubai before her runs as well, but thankfully today she was a little more relaxed and Flavien even mentioned he thought she was a little too relaxed beforehand. She comes alive when the gates open though and she sure finished off really nicely. It's a big thing for these European horses coming over here. Their first runs can be a little bit intense for them, but that's why Charlie picks the horses he does and they do acclimatize themselves really well.”
Pedigree Note:
Star of Mystery is one of 98 stakes winners for Irish-based Kodiac (GB) who stands at Tally Ho Stud. Out of a stakes-winning dam in Mistrusting (Ire), the filly is a half to MGISW Althiqa (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}) who scored in both the GI Longines Just A Game Stakes and the GI Diana Stakes along with multiple other group wins and placings in England, France and the Middle East. Dark Angel is responsible for another sibling in Mysterious Night (Ire) who also saw victory at the highest level in America with a win in the GI Pattison Summer Stakes at Woodbine. In fact, all five runners produced by Mistrusting have been to the winner's circle. Sent to Dubawi (Ire) for consecutive visits, she produced colts by the Darley legend in both 2022 and 2024.
🌟 @godolphin's STAR OF MYSTERY wins the Grade 3 Quick Call Stakes presented by @trfinc with Flavien Prat aboard for trainer Charlie Appleby! pic.twitter.com/jaSRiR4veZ
— NYRA (🎪) (@TheNYRA) July 14, 2024
Sunday, Saratoga
QUICK CALL S. PRESENTED BY THE THOROUGHBRED RETIREMENT FOUNDATION-GIII, $175,000, Saratoga, 7-14, 3yo, 5 1/2fT, 1:00.97, fm.
1–STAR OF MYSTERY (GB), 119, f, 3, by Kodiac (GB)
1st Dam: Mistrusting (Ire) (SW-Eng, $120,206),
by Shamardal
2nd Dam: Misheer (GB), by Oasis Dream (GB)
3rd Dam: All For Laura (GB), by Cadeaux Genereux (GB)
'TDN Rising Star'. O/B-Godolphin (GB); T-Charles Appleby;
J-Flavien Prat. $96,250. Lifetime Record: SW & GSP-Eng, GSW
& GISP-UAE, GISP-USA, 11-5-4-1, $780,112. *1/2 to Althiqa
(GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}), MGISW-USA, GSW-UAE, SW & GSP-Fr,
MGSP-Eng, $761,213 and Mysterious Night (Ire) (Dark Angel
{Ire}), GISW-Can, GSW-UAE, GSW-Fr, MGSP-Eng, GSP-USA,
$559,376. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Mansa Musa (Ire), 120, c, 3, Ten Sovereigns (Ire)–Sundiata
(GB), by Showcasing (GB). (60,000gns Wlg '21 TADEWE;
55,000gns Ylg '22 TATOCT; €49,383 RNA 2yo '23 GOFFDU).
O-Gary Barber and Team Valor International LLC; B-Middlelane
Farm (IRE); T-William I. Mott. $35,000.
3–Fandom (GB), 122, c, 3, Showcasing (GB)–Brogan (GB),
by Pivotal (GB). 'TDN Rising Star'. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE.
(170,000gns Ylg '22 TATOCT). O-Stonestreet Stables LLC;
B-Chasemore Farm (GB); T-Brad H. Cox. $21,000.
Margins: 1HF, 2 1/4, 1HF. Odds: 0.65, 7.50, 3.65.
Also Ran: American Rascal, Smokey Smokey, Set, No Nay Mets (Ire). Scratched: Apollo Ten, Baraye, Feltrinelli, Works for Me.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
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