Starship Jubilee Shines Again in Sunshine Millions
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Photo: Coglianese Photos
Starship Jubilee wins the Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf at Gulfstream Park
Blue Heaven Farm's two-time Sovereign Award-winning turf mare Starship Jubilee kicked off an action-packed afternoon Jan. 18 at Gulfstream Park with a wire-to-wire score in the $150,000 Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf Stakes, her third consecutive victory in the race.
Partnered with Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano, the 7-year-old Indy Wind mare broke midpack in the 1 1/16-mile test but moved up quickly to take command just off the rail. Sweet Hitch Hiker and Vow to Recover trailed Starship Jubilee while being tracked by Beautiful Lover, who bided her time behind the leaders along the backstretch.
Setting fractions of :25.63, :50.77, and 1:14.66 through six furlongs, Starship Jubilee slowly increased her lead from a half-length to one length to 2 1/2 lengths as the field exited the final turn and entered the top of the stretch. Beautiful Lover, guided by Irad Ortiz, Jr., moved out three wide in the lane and took aim at the frontrunner, passing Sweet Hitch Hiker and Vow to Recover on the outside.
The move came too late as Starship Jubilee kicked away under mild hand-urging and finished 3 1/4 lengths in front in 1:42.57 on firm turf.
"When I saw that first quarter, :25 and change, they were kind of walking around there, and that's pretty easy for her," trainer Kevin Attard said. "You're just hoping that she's tight enough and hasn't lost much conditioning from the trip down south. Javier, obviously, rode her well and knows her well. Great jockey. What can you say?"
Beautiful Lover finished second, followed by Vow to Recover in third. Sweet Hitch Hiker, Bienville Street, Raki, Admiral's Win, and Just Sassy completed the order of finish.
Bred in Florida by William Sorren out of the Forest Wildcat mare Perfectly Wild, Starship Jubilee was claimed by Attard in February 2017. A talented runner with a penchant for repeat scores on the grass, Starship Jubilee also won back-to-back runnings of the Canadian Stakes Presented by the Japan Racing Association (G2T) at 5 and 6. She finally earned top-level honors last year in the E. P. Taylor Stakes (G1T) at Woodbine.
Starship Jubilee is the first runner to win three consecutive Sunshine Millions. The win improved her record to 15-5-3 from 33 starts, with $1,261,597 in earnings.
"This is the best horse I've trained, a grade 1 winner," Attard said. "My first and only grade 1 so far. To think where she's come from and where she is today, it's just been an unbelievable journey. I'm happy for the new connections who bought into her last year. She's rewarded them really well."
Extravagant Kid Makes It Count in Sprint
Trainer Brendan Walsh scored one start later with DARRS' Extravagant Kid in the $100,000 Sunshine Millions Sprint Stakes. The 7-year-old Kiss the Kid gelding impressed with a 2 3/4-length victory.
The 5-2 second choice, Extravagant Kid was hustled to the front from his position on the rail following the break behind favorite Lady's Island, who led through the first half-mile in :44.41. Extravagant Kid was guided out by jockey Tyler Gaffalione entering the turn to draw on even terms with Lady's Island at the quarter pole. Extravagant Kid pulled away by a length at the top of the stretch before being ridden out. The final time for the six-furlong dirt sprint was 1:10.04.
Lady's Island finished second, a half-length in front of Jackson in third.
Bred by Vicino Racing Stable out of the With Distinction mare Pretty Extravagant, the Florida-bred entered the race off a win in the Dec. 28 Janus Stakes at Gulfstream Park. He has won 13 races and placed 17 times in his 40 starts, with $787,354 in earnings.
March to the Arch Makes Victorious Comeback
In his first victory since earning his first graded stakes score in the Wise Dan Stakes (G2T) in June at Churchill Downs, Live Oak Plantation homebred March to the Arch edged his head in front of Muggsamatic to take the $150,000 Sunshine Millions Turf Stakes.
Gaffalione, who took the Sunshine Millions Sprint aboard Extravagant Kid, partnered with March to the Arch for the turf. The pair broke last out of the gate and had to settle three wide in sixth along the backstretch as Max K. O. got up for the early lead to set fractions of :25.06, :50.17, and 1:13.40. Souper Scat Daddy put the pressure on Max K. O. as Muggsamatic and Second Mate battled for third and fourth.
Turning for home, March to the Arch was angled out even wider before kicking late to catch up with Muggsamatic. The pair ran neck-and-neck through deep stretch before March to the Arch got the bob at the wire, completing 1 1/16 miles in 1:41.75.
Trained by Mark Casse, the 5-year-old Arch gelding struggled in his four starts following the Wise Dan, failing to hit the board. Out of the Black Sam Bellamy mare Daveron, he is a half brother to grade 3 winner Global Access.
March to the Arch boasts a 6-2-1 record from 18 starts and $592,294 in earnings.
Noble Drama All Class in Sunshine Millions Classic
Harold Queen's Noble Drama completed the afternoon by winning the $200,000 Sunshine Millions Classic Stakes by a head over Red Crescent. Trained by David Fawkes, the Gone Astray gelding ran last to first to complete 1 1/8 miles in 1:50.78.
Ridden by Emisael Jaramillo, Noble Drama settled at the back of the field from the start and slowly inched forward on the backstretch. Squeezadios and Salute With Honor battled it out at the front before Salute With Honor moved up to take command on the first turn.
Jaramillo urged Noble Drama to pick up the pace exiting the backstretch and came within a half-length of Squeezadios in third as the field reached the top of the stretch in 1:37.24.
Sent four wide by Jaramillo, Noble Drama continued to surge before advancing wide in the drive. Within striking distance of leader Red Crescent, who made his own three-wide move coming off the turn, Noble Drama dueled all the way to the wire before getting up in the final strides to win.
Noble Drama (outside) wins the Sunshine Millions Classic
"He ran huge. Harold did a wonderful job of getting this horse ready. When he sent him back to me, I literally led him over here and he won, and he ran a huge race," Fawkes said. "He gained a bunch of weight on the farm, and the horse came back and ran huge."
Out of the Burning Roma mare Queen Drama, Noble Drama had two previous stakes wins: the FTBOA Silver Charm Florida Sire Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs and FTBOA Florida Sire Wildcat Heir Stakes at Gulfstream. He improved his record to 5-3-2 from 16 starts, with earnings of $402,922.
Video: Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf S. (BT)
Video: Sunshine Millions Sprint S. (BT)
Video: Sunshine Millions Turf S. (BT)