Alva Starr

Alva Starr, a Lord Nelson filly owned by Dale Ladner and co-bred by Ladner and trainer Brett Brinkman, won her only race as a juvenile in September 2022 at Delaware Park, taking a six-furlong maiden race by 2 ¾ lengths. The filly returned in spring 2023 and ran second in two consecutive allowance optional claiming races, one at Oaklawn Park and one at Churchill Downs, losing the latter race by a neck to Jersey Pearl after setting the pace.

She then made her stakes debut in the six-furlong Dashing Beauty Stakes back at Delaware Park on July 8, and dominated six opponents in a 6 ¾-length runaway. That gave Alva Starr’s connections confidence to step her up in class and start her in the Grade 2 Prioress Stakes at Saratoga on Sept. 2.

With Jose Lezcano in the irons, Alva Starr took command in the backstretch of the six-furlong dirt sprint, shook off a challenge from favorite Dazzling Blue, and drove clear to an impressive 8 ¾-length win, with rival Jersey Pearl a distant second. Alva Starr later concluded her 2023 campaign with a second-place finish in the Grade 2 Raven Run Stakes on Oct. 21 at Keeneland.

Alva Starr got off to a quick hot start in her 4-year-old season. She won her seasonal debut on Feb. 3, 2024, in the $150,000 American Beauty Stakes going six furlongs on a muddy track at Oaklawn Park, going wire-to-wire to score by 3 1/2 lengths. She then scored the first Grade 1 win of her career when she was victorious by half a length as the 2.16-1 favorite in a field of eight in the Grade 1 $600,000 Madison Stakes going seven furlongs at Keeneland on April 6.

Alva Starr is out of the multiple stakes winning Into Mischief mare Sittin At the Bar, who also produced 2021 Prioress Stakes winner Cilla and two other stakes winners.