Bodemeister’s 3-year-old filly Tasting the Stars passed her first stakes test with flying colors on Sunday at Monmouth Park, coming home by nearly two lengths in the $75,000 Just Jenda S.
The bay filly won her first two starts convincingly on the main track, and had no problem handling her grass debut on Sunday. After the break, the field took some time to sort itself out, with Tasting the Stars settling in a good rhythm in third entering the backstretch. Holding that spot until the quarter-pole, she came three-wide and kicked into high gear in the final furlong to win going away by 1 3/4-lengths.
“We figured she’s talented and she seems like the type that can run on anything and that’s what she has done now,” said trainer Michael Stidham. “It’s a very difficult decision when you have an unbeaten horse that has run only on the dirt and you’re thinking about trying her on the grass. Now we have options and that’s a good problem to have.”
Tasting the Stars, a $140,000 buy at the 2017 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic October sale, has banked $96,600 for Newtown Anner Stud. Bred by Audley Farm Equine, she is one of six winners out of Grade 3 Natalma S. winner Pink Champagne.
Bodemeister, a leading Fourth-Crop Sire, has accounted for nine stakes horses this year, including Grade 1 performer Bodexpress and the Grade 2 filly Calf Moon Bay.
