Jouster Wires Appalachian Field at Keeneland
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Photo: Keeneland/Coady Photography
Jouster (inside) wins the Appalachian Stakes at Keeneland
Starlight Racing's Jouster , the 8-5 favorite in a six-horse cast, wired the field for an easy score April 3 in the $200,000 Appalachian Stakes Presented by Japan Racing Association (G2T) at Keeneland.
The 3-year-old Noble Mission filly got the one-mile trip over a "good" turf course in 1:36.83.
The turf course had not been kind to front-runners on the meet's opening day, April 2, but Jouster had little trouble with the course for the Appalachian, especially getting an easy lead and was clear while setting moderate fractions early under Luis Saez. She held sway over Gift List by 1 1/2 lengths at the wire. Plum Ali was another half-length back in third.
"I was worried a bit. The last two days the speed has not been holding on the turf, which is what I was concerned about," said Starlight principal Jack Wolf. "Luis said he's been trying to get her to relax, and the fractions we saw were perfect. There's nothing like Keeneland."
Jouster broke alertly from the hedge as both Spanish Loveaffair (post 2) and Flown (post 3) were squeezed slightly at the break. Jouster was able to ease to the lead and set an opening quarter-mile split of :24.82, followed by a half-mile in :49.87. With an open-length lead down the backstretch over Saranya and Gift List, Saez and Jouster made it look easy as they got six furlongs in 1:14.29. That left plenty in the tank for the bay filly to zip a final quarter in: 22.54 that featured a :11.44 final furlong.
"She was so professional today, she broke from there so sharp," said Saez. "We just tried to relax and she did it so perfect. She came into the stretch and I had so much horse so I was just letting her be happy and we came to the end—she just took off. She's good."
Jouster paid $5.40 and anchored a $1 1-5 exacta that returned $22.
The score was the third in six starts for Jouster and she sports a 3-1-0 mark on turf. The $120,000 first-prize boosted her career earnings to $214,920. She broke her maiden in her turf bow Jan. 10 at Gulfstream Park, then added a win on Gulfstream's grass course against allowance optional claiming foes. Tested in stakes waters March 6 at Tampa Bay Downs, she dropped a nose decision to Domain Expertise in the Florida Oaks (G3T) after setting the pace.
Jouster was a $360,000 purchase from the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale from the Lane's End consignment. Frank Brothers, a longtime buyer for Starlight Racing, signed the ticket.
Jouster, bred by St Elias Stables, is the second foal out of Playtime , a well-bred daughter of the late Street Cry . Playtime is a daughter of Storm Flag Flying , champion 2-year-old filly of 2002 and a granddaughter of Hall of Famer Personal Ensign .
The victory was the third in this race for trainer Todd Pletcher, who also sent out winner's Ocean Drive (2003) and Audacious Chloe (2007).