Gallant Bloom win puts Highway Star on road to Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint

ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Rodrigo Ubillo said it will be “a dream” to participate in this year’s Breeders’ Cup with Highway Star, who earned her shot in the Filly and Mare Sprint on Nov. 4 with a neck victory in the Grade 2 Gallant Bloom Handicap.

In reality, Highway Star earned her Breeders’ Cup chance before Sunday, but her connections wanted to see another good performance before committing to run. Highway Star wore down Carina Mia by a neck for her third graded stakes victory of the year to go along with a head loss to By the Moon in the Grade 1 Ballerina on Aug. 26 at Saratoga.

“It doesn’t happen every day,” Ubillo said after Highway Star’s victory in the Gallant Bloom. “I’ve been training for 11 years and I’ve never had a chance to come close. It will be nice to go there.”

Highway Star may be overlooked because she’s a New York-bred daughter of Girolamo. But in one-turn races from 6 1/2 furlongs to a mile, she is 8 for 9 with four graded stakes wins and that second in the Ballerina.

“You see her past performances,” Ubillo said. “She always tries. She’s always very consistent. I give it to her class.”

Ubillo said Highway Star came out of the race with some superficial cuts on her front legs, owing perhaps to an incident down the backside when things got tight, forcing her to take back under Luis Saez.

Saez was subbing for Angel Arroyo, who was not cleared to ride by track first-aid personnel due to soreness suffered in spill Friday at Belmont. Ubillo said Monday he expects Arroyo to regain the mount for the Breeders’ Cup.

Highway Star, owned by Chester and Mary Broman, earned a 93 Beyer Speed Figure for the Gallant Bloom win.