Starship Jubilee keeps rolling in Hillsborough

OLDSMAR, Fla. – Starship Jubilee ran her career record to 17 for 35 and stayed unbeaten in 2020, once again putting her versatility on full display Saturday in the 22nd running of the Grade 2, $225,000 Hillsborough over the Tampa Bay Downs turf.

Emerging from a pack of pace-chasers for the stretch run of the 1 1/8-mile turf race, Starship Jubilee turned back a persistent Beautiful Lover in winning by 1 1/4 lengths under Javier Castellano. She returned $4.40 as favorite in a field of 11 fillies and mares after finishing in 1:47.83 over firm going.

“She’s been good for a long time now,” said Kevin Attard, who trains Starship Jubilee for the Blue Heaven Farm of Bonnie Baskin. “I think the key with her is she’s just so tactical.”

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Starship Jubilee, a Florida-bred by Indy Wind, now has won all three starts this year at 7, having already won twice over her home turf at Gulfstream Park in the Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf on the lead and the Grade 3 Suwannee River from just off the pace. Attard and his father, Tino, claimed her in February 2017 for a mere $16,000, and she now is a seven-time graded winner of $1,498,667.

Beautiful Lover, making her first start since finishing second behind Starship Jubilee in the Sunshine Millions, loomed boldly in the upper stretch before settling for second, another three-quarters of a length before Kelsey’s Cross. Magic Star was fourth as the 2-1 second choice. Both Beautiful Lover and Magic Star are trained by Chad Brown.

The $2 exacta (7-8) paid $25.60, the $1 trifecta (7-8-5) returned $114.40, and the 10-cent superfecta (7-8-5-3) was worth $41.17.