Two young people with impressive credentials have combined to point StarLadies and its partners in an exciting new direction.

Elinor Wolf, director of marketing, partner relations, and recruiting, and Corbin Blumberg, director of racing and bloodstock operations, are bringing fresh ideas to an entity created in 2015 to purchase fillies for all-women partnerships.

Elinor Wolf putting her stamp on StarLadies. (Courtesy of Elinor Wolf )

The Wolf name is well-known in racing. Elinor’s father, Jack, and her mother, Laurie, created Starlight Racing in 2000 and continue to fulfill their goal of competing at the highest levels. Laurie dreamed big while also desiring to provide one heck of a good time when she formed StarLadies Racing in 2015.

Elinor, 27, is putting her stamp on things and is highly qualified to do so. After graduating from the University of Colorado at Boulder, she completed the Irish National Stud Course in Kildare, Ireland before graduating with distinction from Godolphin’s two-year Flying Start program.

“She has been so good at bringing new blood and excitement and helping to re-brand us,” Laurie said of Elinor.

Blumberg, 30, a University of Kentucky graduate, holds the distinction of being the first international applicant to be accepted into the British Horseracing Development Programme. He, too, graduated from Godolphin’s prestigious Flying Start program.

StarLadies boasts an impressive record. According to its website, the partnership has won at a 23% clip while amassing more than $2.4 million in earnings. Still, there is the belief that a key strategic change will be helpful.

Instead of purchasing yearlings and waiting for them to develop, they began targeting 2-year-olds in training this year. Juveniles have the advantage of significantly reducing the time from purchase until they reach the starting gate and are able to vie for purses.

“Since horses are getting to the track sooner, we hope they will start paying for themselves. That’s the aim,” Elinor said. “If we were to purchase yearlings, we would have to ask for more of a commitment, and we found it was too much.”

In the new structure, three fillies were acquired with the help of significant other entities at the time of purchase. The women who invested through StarLadies – by design, the partnership is kept small — were required to make a one-time financial commitment with the assurance that everything possible would be done to avoid a cash call.

Corbin Blumberg (Courtesy of Corbin Blumberg)

“We try to partner with like-minded groups who use the same trainers we use and, quite frankly, add to the experience,” Blumberg said.

StarLadies investors enjoyed the opportunity to see the sales process up close.

“We try to do an event at each milestone of a Thoroughbred’s life and career, starting at the sales,” Laurie noted. “It’s a nice way to learn about the process and what your money is going toward.”

StarLadies joined forces with KatieRich Stables to purchase Cue the Drama, a dark bay or brown  daughter of Complexity, for $325,000 at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. Spring 2-year-olds in training sale. She was assigned to trainer Brendan Walsh and debuted July 3, going 5 ½ furlongs at Ellis Park. Although she missed the break and wound up seventh as a heavy favorite, the connections were not discouraged.

“She got a ton out of it and should be a lot better the second time around,” Blumberg said.

One partner, Jenna Jordan, was among those who accepted the outcome in stride. “It’s hard to have Cue the Drama without a little drama,” she quipped.

StarLadies teamed with Adelphi Racing Club on the well-named For the Ladies, a dark bay or brown Upstart filly that brought $125,000 at the same sale.

“She worked very well at the sale,” Blumberg said. “We were thrilled to get her for $125,000. We thought she might be a tick more.”

For the Ladies is stabled at Belmont Park with trainer Tom Morley. She is expected to ship to Saratoga Race Course in early August. She will very likely make her first start either toward the end of the meet or after the action shifts to Aqueduct for the fall.

Not surprisingly, Paynter Pretty is by Paynter. StarLadies and well-respected Ten Strike Racing obtained her for $70,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May 2-year-olds in training sale in Maryland. Trainer Lindsay Schultz is overseeing her progress at Monmouth Park in New Jersey.

“Lindsay is taking her time with her, but she really likes her,” Blumberg said. “She’s done everything really straightforward so far. She seems like a filly that really gets it.”

Elinor crosses her fingers for luck before a race. (America's Best Racing photo)

No one knows what the future holds for any of the fillies. The ability to dream big is very much   part of the fun. And StarLadies has hit big before.

Prank looked the part of a future champion when she made a smashing debut for StarLadies in July 2022, rolling by 9 ¾ lengths at Saratoga Race Course. While an injury would keep her from racing again, her story hardly ends there.

Since Mo Donegal, her half-brother (same dam [mother], different sire [father]), had captured the 2022 Belmont Stakes, her value soared. She went on to sell for a cool $1.6 million at the 2024 Keeneland January horses of all ages sale.

“That’s the beauty of buying fillies. You never know how their siblings may upgrade their value,” Blumberg said.

With fillies that do not accomplish enough to become broodmares, StarLadies makes sure they receive dignified retirements when their racing days are done.