Once a stablemate to the great FLIGHTLINE, Mickey Gonzalez’s WHO’S THE STAR might not be anywhere near the horse his mate is, but he is making his mark in Canada.
WHO’S THE STAR and Emma-Jayne Wilson won their third straight stakes race together in the Grade 3 Autumn Stakes at Woodbine on November 6. The victory in the 1 1/16 mile Tapeta event, overcoming a strong inside, speed bias boosted the profile of the 4-year-old gelding enough that the Mark Casse trainee will likely be named Champion Older Horse in Canada for 2022.
A $375,000 yearling purchase at the 2019 Keeneland September sale, Who’s the Star was training with John Sadler in California about the time that Flightline, also trained by Sadler, was making his career debut. Who’s the Star, a Kentucky bred by Tonalist – Shine Forth by Carson City needed 6 races to win his maiden, doing so in a one mile dirt race in November 2021.
A year later, the big horse is now in Canada with the Casse team and he is unbeaten at Woodbine.
Who’s the Star won the Niagara Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on turf, the Grade 3 Durham Cup on Tapeta, and then the Autumn, where he ran down War Bomber to win by half a length. A hot early pace set by a pair of Josie Carroll runners, including 2-time Horse of the year Mighty Heart, set things up for Who’s the Star.
The final time of 1:41 was a 94 Beyer Figure. Who’s the Star has 6 wins in 16 races and earnings over $331,000. He is from the placed mare Shine Forth who has also produced Super Derby (G2) winner Bourbon Courage. The fourth dam of Who’s the Star is the great Chris Evert.
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