Congrats 2yo Tulira’s Star, an impressive debut-winning 2-year-old filly at Arlington, was purchased by Team Valor this week and will be turned over to trainer Rick Mettee.
Unveiled by trainer Jim DiVito in the third race here June 8, Tulira’s Star pressed the early pace and drew off to win a maiden race by 3 1/2 lengths, running 4 1/2 furlongs on Polytrack in 52.36 seconds. The raw time produced a Beyer Speed Figure of 88, the second-highest 2-year-old Beyer so far in 2014.
“I really liked the way she won,” said Team Valor CEO Barry Irwin. “She is very athletic and tractable, with no deviation watching the head-on, which is quite unusual for a first-time starter. She has a nice pedigree.”
“We’ve done well with this type of horse. She’s a half to two Stakes winners and if she can win a couple stakes, that would be great. Whatever she is going to do, she is going to do immediately. If all goes well, we should be able to run her at least four or five times this year in good races.”
Tulira’s Star will be based at the Fair Hill training center in Maryland, and Irwin said she is being pointed for the Schuylerville Stakes at Saratoga.
Bred and previously owned by Curtis Green, Tulira’s Star is by Congrats and out of Tulira and is a half-sister to the graded stakes-winning sprinter Mountain General and, more recently, stakes winner Tulira’s Castle.
