Lael Stables‘ Pulstar Secures Narrow Victory in Saratoga Maiden Race
Trainer Wesley Ward’s filly Pulstar captured a nail-biting victory in Saturday’s sixth race at Saratoga, winning by the slimmest of margins in a 5 1/2-furlong maiden special weight that was moved from turf to dirt.
The 2-year-old daughter of Kantharos displayed her trademark early speed, breaking sharply and establishing a two-length lead down the backstretch. Despite maintaining her advantage into mid-stretch, Pulstar faced a determined challenge from Mark Casse trainee Delightful Darling in the final strides.
“I’m glad this race wasn’t run at 5 1/2 furlongs plus a jump. If so, I’m not sure she would have won,” Ward said after the photo finish confirmed his filly had prevailed by a nose.
Ward expressed satisfaction with the surface change, noting it actually worked in his filly’s favor.
“I was happy that it came off the turf,” he said. “She’s got some distance issues. She’s a real small filly and that is the reason I tried her on the grass the first time. Sometimes, horses like her will go a little bit longer on the grass.”
The victory marked Pulstar’s first win in her second career start, following a head defeat in her Churchill Downs debut on June 6. That experience proved valuable according to her trainer.
“She got a lot out of that last race where she was beaten a head,” Ward explained. “It moved her forward fitness-wise and experience-wise. All those factors came together today.”
Joel Rosario piloted the winner, who completed the 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:05.26 and returned $6.40 as the 2-1 favorite.
Despite breaking outward, Pulstar demonstrated the early speed typical of Ward-trained juveniles, immediately seizing command and posting fractions of :22.54 and :46.12. The Lael Stables homebred showed some greenness down the stretch as Delightful Darling made her challenge along the rail, but ultimately prevailed in the photo finish.
Ward indicated Pulstar would likely target shorter turf sprints moving forward.
“I told Doug Cauthen, who is the stable manager for the Jacksons, that I think she’s really better at 5 than 5 1/2 on the grass,” Ward said. “We’ll get a work or two into her on grass and hopefully we can find some spots on the turf for her.”
Pulstar was bred in Kentucky by Roy and Gretchen Jackson’s Lael Stables. Her dam Bellerue (by Quality Road) has a yearling filly by Practical Joke and a May 7-foaled colt by Nyquist. Bellerue is out of multiple graded stakes winner Belle Cherie from the same family as multiple Grade 1 winner Octave.
The filly’s lifetime record now stands at 2-1-1-0 with earnings of $79,000.
Pulstar graduates at second asking in R6 at Saratoga under @jrosariojockey for trainer Wesley Ward! 🌟 pic.twitter.com/vT115tcOpY
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires)
Pulstar graduates at second asking in R6 at Saratoga under July 12, 2025
