Local Hero Eye of a Jedi Strikes in Ghostzapper
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Photo: Coglianese Photos/Lauren King
Eye of the Jedi wins the Ghostzapper Stakes at Gulfstream Park
Eye of a Jedi gave Jamaican trainer/owner Steve Budhoo his first graded stakes victory March 27 with a 5 1/2-length score in the 1 1/8-mile Ghostzapper Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park. The win came in Eye of Jedi's fourth start at the 2020-21 stand and 21st overall dirt start at the South Florida track.
"I know he's a local hero and this horse likes Gulfstream," Budhoo said after knocking down the $100,000 event. "He gives 110% at this track. This is my first graded stakes winner here, but in Jamaica, I won a lot of stakes."
Eye of the Jedi raced the distance on a fast track in 1:48.83 and paid $10.40 as the third choice in the seven-horse cast. Favored Last Judgment was second, 2 1/4 lengths ahead of Superfecto. Just Whistle was fourth.
With Javier Castellano up, Eye of a Jedi was mid-pack early as Last Judgment showed the way while setting fractions of :23.60, :46.43, and 1:10.15 for six panels. Superfecto challenged for the lead at the head of the lane. Eye of a Jedi saved ground heading into the far turn and came off the rail as he gained on the leaders. He quickly got the lead in early stretch and had little trouble putting Last Judgment away.
The winner was bred in Kentucky by Calumet Farm and is a 6-year-old son of Eye of the Leopard out of Sea Song's Grace, by Elusive Quality. Budhoo (under Big Easy) paid $1,500 for him during the 10th session of the 2016 Keeneland September Yearling Sale from Darby Dan Farm's consignment.
"Bob Baffert trained the mother (dam) and I thought 'this must be a good horse for them to breed her this stallion (the 2009 Queen's Plate winner),'" Budhoo recalled.
Sea Song's Grace made three starts for Baffert in 2011.
The victory gives Eye of a Jedi a 6-6-6 ledger from 32 career starts, with earnings of $355,778. Five of the bay gelding's wins have come at Gulfstream. He was fourth in this race, formerly known as the Hal's Hope, a year ago.
Video: Ghostzapper S. (G3)
Basin is Back
Earlier on the program, Terry Green's Jackpot Farm's Basin, a grade 1 winner at 2 and 3, made his 4-year-old bow a winning one in the $100,000 Sir Shackleton Stakes for older runners. The Kentucky-bred son of Liam's Map was a half-length ahead of Frosted Grace at the line in a final time of 1:23.19 for seven furlongs.
Basin (No. 7 wins the Sir Shackleton Stakes
Basin ($5), out of Appenzell (Johannesburg), won the seven-furlong Runhappy Hopeful Stakes (G1) in September 2019 and was placed first in last spring's Arkansas Derby (G1) following the disqualification of Charlatan. Formerly with trainer Steve Asmussen, he has been under the care of Todd Pletcher since last summer.
"We felt like he was just ready," Pletcher said. "We didn't want to go over the top for the first one back. We cut it close, but we had him ready to get the job done today. I think he'll move forward from the race."