2025 has already been a benchmark year for the Galileo mare Starstruck. Budding juvenile Turf Star kicked potentially her biggest week yet with a notable stakes debut in Sunday's Gr2 Castle & Key Bourbon S.

The Caravaggio colt out of MGSW Starstruck (Galileo) made an eye-catching step up off his September graduation at Kentucky Downs in the $400,000 Bourbon.

Away from post one, Tyler Gaffalione saved ground aboard the Calumet Farm homebred as favored Final Score controlled all the pace of the 1 1/16th mile test.

Staying on into the final furlong, Turf Star was steered outside Final Score and ran on the place 2nd best, 1 1/4 lengths behind Final Score, who heads to the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf as probably the shortest price among U.S. contenders.

"He gave me a really good run down the lane," said Gaffalione, "then as soon as we got out, he found another stride and really extended himself well. I thought it was a great effort.” 

Later this week at Keeneland, Starstruck will be represented by Gr3 winner Daisy Flyer (Mshawish), who faces off again with contemporaries Destino d'Oro and Fionn in Saturday's Gr1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup.

Keeneland photo.