Starship Jubilee Airs in Suwannee River
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Photo: Coglianese Photos/Ryan Thompson
Starship Jubilee wins the Suwannee River Stakes at Gulfstream Park
Trainer Kevin Attard had high hopes for Starship Jubilee headed into the $150,000 Suwannee River Stakes (G3T) Feb. 8 at Gulfstream Park, but a 4 1/4-length romp far exceeded his expectations.
Blue Heaven Farm's 7-year-old daughter of Indy Wind continued her domination of the Gulfstream Park lawn Saturday, returning to open company and leaving her rivals in the dust after winning the Jan. 18 Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf for the third year in a row.
"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, winner of the 2019 E. P. Taylor Stakes (G1T) at Woodbine, collected her sixth graded stakes score since she was claimed at Gulfstream by her current connections for $16,000 in February of 2017. She improved her record to 16-5-3 from 34 starts, with earnings of $1,353,667.
Marshua's River (G3T) winner Magic Star was sent off the even-money favorite in the 1 1/8-mile Suwannee River, with Starship Jubilee the 6-5 second choice in a six-horse field. With Luis Saez in the irons, the eventual winner broke alertly and settled into a stalking third behind 41-1 shot Kelsey's Cross and Tapit Today as the opening quarter went in :22.60 and the half went in :46.93.
Magic Star was fourth inside and looking for running room through three-quarters in 1:11.34, but wound up boxed in as Starship Jubilee made her move on the turn for home. It was all over by the time the favorite found a path, as Starship Jubilee galloped through a 1:35.59 mile to win going away.
The final time was 1:47.54 on a course rated firm. Magic Star closed to finish second, a neck ahead of fellow Chad Brown trainee Tapit Today.
"What a perfect trip," Saez said. "When I hit the stretch I had plenty of horse. She is pretty easy to ride."
"She just keeps getting better," Attard said of Starship Jubilee. "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. 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."
Bred in Florida by William Sorren out of the Forest Wildcat mare Perfectly Wild, who was sent to Malibu Moon for 2020, Starship Jubilee is a Sovereign Award finalist in the female turf category, an award she brought home in 2017-18. Attard is a finalist for the Sovereign Award as Canada's top trainer. Winners will be announced April 16.