My Miss Aurelia another star in the making for Stonestreet

For Banke, the filly's most memorable race was her most recent start, in

Belmont Park's Grade 1 Frizette on October 8. Pressed throughout the early

going, My Miss Aurelia drew well clear through the stretch to win under a hand

ride.

"When she won by 5 1/2 lengths, we knew we had something really special on

our hands," Banke recalled.

While her Frizette victory may have proved it, there were signs from the

start that My Miss Aurelia could be a star in the making. Out of the Sea of

Secrets mare My Miss Storm Cat, she brought $550,000 at the Keeneland September

Yearling Sale in 2010. The buyer was George Bolton, who had previously partnered

with Stonestreet on another Smart Strike offspring -- two-time Horse of the Year

Curlin.

"We certainly had no plans to sell Miss Aurelia to George, but were thrilled

that he was interested, and even more so when he eventually became the buyer,"

Banke said. "George knows horses like no one else, and having him purchase her

was a stamp of approval, of sorts."

A new partnership was forged, with Stonestreet retaining a 50 percent

interest in the filly. Because Aurelia Bolton had attended most of Curlin's

races and was considered to be something of a lucky charm during his career, the

decision was made to name the filly in her honor. Bolton has attended all three

of her namesake's races and will be present to watch her run at Churchill Downs

on Friday.

"Naming this horse in honor of Aurelia was a way to give tribute to a great

lady, and hopefully pass on some of that luck!" Banke said.

So far, it has worked. For Banke, returning to the Breeders' Cup with a

Stonestreet homebred is especially meaningful following Jackson's death in April

after a long battle with cancer.

"Jess was passionate about breeding," she stated. "From the beginning, we set

up our stables to support breeding between the finest animals we could match. To

see the success of this philosophy in My Miss Aurelia is truly rewarding. Jess

had a feeling that she would be a great horse, and Jess had incredible

instincts."