HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Blue Heaven Farm’s Starship Jubilee flashed her Grade 1 form Saturday at Gulfstream Park, where the former $16,000 claimer romped to a 4 ¼-.length victory in the $150,000 Suwanee River (G3).
The Kevin Attard-trained 7-year-old daughter of Indy Wind, who captured the E. P. Taylor (G1) at Woodbine last fall, collected her sixth graded stakes winner since being claimed at Gulfstream Feb. 12, 2017. The Florida-bred turf specialist had previously captured the $150,000 Sunshine Million Filly and Mare Turf for the third year in a row Jan. 18.
“Today, just to see her accelerate and win by open lengths, I wasn’t expecting that. I thought it was going to be a dogfight to the wire. I was pretty impressed with her today, no doubt about it,” Attard said. “The last race, she was against restricted company so there’s a lot to be said about that. Today, it’s open company and she proved she’s quality.”
Starship Jubilee, who has earned more than $1 million in purses since being claimed, broke alertly from the starting gate and settled in stalking position behind a pacesetting Kelsey’s Cross and Tapit Today past solid fractions of 22.60 and 46.93 seconds during the first half-mile of the 1 1/16-mile turf stakes for older fillies and mares. Tapit Today pulled alongside Kelsey’s Cross on the turn into the homestretch but was quickly joined to her outside by Starship Jubilee, who kicked in powerfully through the stretch to win going away under Luis Saez.
“What a perfect trip. I know they’re going to send someone to kill the speed. Everything was so perfect. Speed was great,” Saez said. “When I hit the stretch I had plenty of horse. She is pretty easy to ride.”
Starship Jubilee ran 1 1/16 miles over a firm turf course in 1:47.54 at the 6-5 second betting choice. Magic Star, the even-money favorite who won the Marshua’s River (G3) at Gulfstream last time out, closed to finish second under Irad Ortiz Jr., a neck ahead of Tapit Today, her stablemate in the Chad Brown stable.
Starship Jubilee captured her 16 win in 34 career starts.
“She just keeps getting better. Today, I was a little worried with Magic Star. She looks like a good up-and-coming filly. To win a graded race in her third start, I thought that was pretty impressive. I knew we’d have to have our running shoes on to beat her, but the trip worked out really well,” Attard said. “Saez gave her a great trip. I know Magic Star got kind of trapped inside there and lost a little momentum, but my filly kicked on and she accelerated down the lane. She just proved she’s one of the top turf fillies in the country right now.”
Starship Jubilee is a Sovereign Award finalist in the female turf category, while Attard is a finalist for the Sovereign Award as Canada’s top trainer.
Via Gulfstream Park Press Release
