Starship Jubilee scores easy win in Suwanee River
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Starship Jubilee continues to give every indication she’s getting even better as she gets older after notching her second easy victory within a three-week span, an impressive 4 1/4-length decision over even-money favorite Magic Star in Saturday’s $150,000 Suwannee River at Gulfstream Park.
The 7-year-old, former claimer Starship Jubilee came into the Grade 3 Suwannee River off an easy 3 1/4-length victory in the Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf here on Jan. 18. That was the third win in the last four starts for Starship Jubilee in a streak that dated back to the Grade 2 Canadian at Woodbine on Sept. 14 and that also included a one-length triumph in the Grade 1 E. P. Taylor over the same course four weeks later.
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With Luis Saez aboard for the first time, Starship Jubilee rated off a surprisingly swift early pace set by Kelsey’s Cross. Saez allowed Starship Jubilee to advance outside leaving the backstretch, kept the favorite Magic Star pinned in behind the tiring leaders approaching the quarter pole, quickly surged away in early stretch, and was never threatened.
Magic Star raced well placed while saving ground, had to steady along lacking room near the inside midway on the turn, then rallied belatedly once finally gaining clearance near midstretch, eventually wearing down stablemate Tapit Today by a neck to be second-best.
The Suwannee River was the 16th win in 34 career starts for Starship Jubilee, a daughter of Indy Wind, who is trained by Kevin Attard for Blue Heaven Farm. She paid $4.40 after completing 1 1/8 miles in 1:47.54.
“She keeps on exceeding expectations,” Attard said after the race. “The pace turned out to be a little quicker than it looked like on paper and she relaxed really well. On the turn, I could see she and Magic Star kind of moving together and Saez just did a wonderful job kind of keeping her trapped inside. And when the running started, she just kicked on. She’s really learned to relax now and that’s helped her. The movie is not over yet. The story just keeps continuing.”
