Horse Profile: Star of Mystery

Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint Scouting Report

(Editor's note: Originally published in the 2024 BRISnet Breeders' Cup International Report)

The Godolphin filly has enough of a stateside body of work to illustrate that she’s doing her best work late going 5 1/2 furlongs, and the five-furlong scramble here is liable to be a fraction too short. Star of Mystery’s prior international form might have indicated as much. 

By Kodiac, Star of Mystery is a half-sister to two North American Grade 1 winners for Charlie Appleby, Althiqa and Mysterious Night. Althiqa’s signature wins came in the mile to nine-furlong range, while Mysterious Night largely inhabited the seven-eighths to a mile zone. 

Star of Mystery competed at six furlongs or so as a juvenile in Britain. Both of her black-type credits came over Newmarket’s July Course, a romp in the Empress Fillies’ S. and a second as the prohibitive odds-on favorite in the Duchess of Cambridge (G2). 

During the Dubai Carnival earlier this year, Star of Mystery excelled against males. She rallied from last to beat Starlust in their mutual appearance in an about six-furlong sprint for three-year-olds. 

Facing older males in the Blue Point (G2) going about five furlongs, Star of Mystery revved up late and swept past Czech speedball Ponntos. But the 15-pound break at the weights, and the ample time afforded her down Meydan’s straightaway, were arguably key to her victory at that trip. Next time in the Nad al Sheba Turf Sprint (G3), Star of Mystery couldn’t catch fellow sophomore filly Frost at Dawn (Filly & Mare Sprint), who blazed in a course-record :55.41. 

Star of Mystery concluded her Meydan campaign with an outstanding second in the Al Quoz Sprint (G1) to Hong Kong celebrity California Spangle. Favored with her 13-pound weight concession, she went down by only three-quarters of a length in a course-record 1:07.50 for about six furlongs.

For her whirlwind charge to be most effective at five furlongs, Star of Mystery likely needs a straightaway or at least a longer stretch than she’ll get at Del Mar. Nor has a three-year-old filly ever won this race.