Festive Star – Churchill Downs – Race 9 – 06/13/2021 – 80K Allowance Optional Claimer (9 furlongs on turf) – 4-year-old filly by Golden Horn out of Festoso, formerly trained by Simon & Ed Crisford.
Solid filly who has won three of her nine starts to date, all on turf, and joins the Brendan Walsh barn. Looked a highly promising sort as a 2-year-old when bolting up at Listed level on her third start before getting bogged down in heavy going in her final outing as a juvenile. Started 2020 back in handicap company, winning well in that grade at Newbury, and slowly built back to Stakes-level, hitting the board in Listed races on her final two starts, doing particularly well on the latter occasion when left poorly placed against the flow. Rated 102 in Britain, Festive Star is bred to stay well and could well go on again as a 4-year-old, while firm turf should be a big positive on breeding. She faces a couple of horses here who have Stakes form but there looks to be little strength in depth, and it’d be somewhat disappointing if she can’t make the first three provided the ground doesn’t turn soft (rain is forecast). Her works have been fine in the context of her profile and her jockey booking is encouraging – she should be contesting Stakes races at some point, and can hopefully shape nicely here.
