Starship Jubilee finds winning form in Canadian Stakes

ETOBICOKE, Ontario — Starship Jubilee, last year’s Canadian champion female grass runner, regained her best form to post an 11-1 upset in Saturday’s Grade 2, $255,500 Canadian Stakes at Woodbine.

The pace was rapid in the about nine-furlong turf event, and the Kevin Attard-trained Starship Jubilee trailed in sixth on the backstretch, under Luis Contreras.

Starship Jubilee began to make up ground between rivals late on the turn, and then rallied strongly to hit the front near the eighth pole before drawing away for a 3 1/4-length score in a time of 1:42.91.

The Chad Brown-trained favorites, New Money Honey and Inflexibility, finished second and third, with the former securing second by a head. Bletchley, Hallie Belle, and pacesetter Daring Duchess completed the order of finish. Mythical Mission and Niigon’s Eclipse were scratched.

“She was really good,” Contreras said. “Kevin told me in the paddock to just get her to relax, so that she can finish the race. He was right. I got a perfect trip. Once I hit the three-eighths, I saw my room and I went through. She gave me everything from there.”

By Indy Wind, Starship Jubilee ($25.30) earned $150,000 for the partnership of Kevin Attard and Soli Mehta.

After a slow start to the meet, Starship Jubilee romped in an Aug. 6 optional starter following a freshening on the farm.

“I made a few mistakes with her early this year,” Attard said. “I sent her home for a break. She worked lights-out last week, and came into this race (good). I had a feeling that if we had a good trip, that she’d come running down the lane.”