Blue Stripe (ARG)

A multiple graded stakes winner in Argentina, Blue Stripe won her first American graded stakes on April 30, 2022, when she won the Santa Margarita Stakes at Santa Anita Park from off the pace with Tyler Baze in the irons. The Equal Stripes mare won three of six starts before shipping to the U.S. for a start in the Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff on dirt at Del Mar in November 2021, where she finished seventh.

After winning the Santa Margarita, Blue Stripe continued to build an impressive résumé in North America. The mare nearly won the Grade 2 Santa Maria Stakes June 18 at Santa Anita, losing to Private Mission by three quarters of a length. She then broke through with a top-level victory, moving up from a stalking spot in the far turn and powering through the stretch to win the Grade 1 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes at Del Mar by 1 ¾ lengths. Blue Stripe earned an automatic berth in the Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff with the win.

Blue Stripe did indeed return to make her next start in the Grade 1 $2 million Breeders' Cup Distaff on Nov. 5 at Keeneland. Sent off as a 24-1 longshot in a highly accomplished eight-horse field, she sat close to the pace in the early stages of the Distaff, lost some position in the field in mid-race, and then rallied nicely in the stretch, grabbing the lead in the very late stages in deep stretch only to get caught by a nose in the final stride by Malathaat. Blue Stripe settled for second in the razor-thin three-horse photo finish that also included Clairiere, who had rallied up the rail.

Argentine-bred Blue Stripe is owned by Pozo de Luna and trained by Marcelo Polanco. She is a half-sister (same dam [mother]), different sire [father]) to Blue Prize, who won the 2019 Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Santa Anita Park.