Like fine wine, the 7-year-old mare Starship Jubilee has definitely improved with age. On Saturday, the multiple Canadian champion earned her third consecutive stakes win, and fifth in her last six starts, taking the $225,000 Hillsborough (G2) at Tampa Bay Downs.
Favored at 6-5 in the field of 11 fillies and mares, Starship Jubilee made a three-wide for the lead turning for home and then turned back a stretch bid from Beautiful Lover to win by 1 1/4 lengths under Javier Castellano. Kelsey’s Cross, a 20-1 shot, rallied for third.
Owned by Blue Heaven Farm and trained by Kevin Attard, Starship Jubilee paid $4.40 after completing nine furlongs on firm turf in 1:47.83.
“She’s 7 but she’s been healthy, and I think it’s great for the sport when you see an older horse like her staying around and running at a top level,” Attard said.
“Such a strength of hers that she can run from either on the lead or off the pace, it helps so much, especially these route races where sometimes the race lacks pace.”
This was the seventh graded and 10th stakes win overall for Starship Jubilee, who won Sovereign Awards as champion turf mare in Canada in 2017 and 2018, and is likely to be awarded the same honor for 2019 after victories in the E.P. Taylor (G1) and Canadian (G2) last fall.
Following a second-place effort in the Cardinal (G3) at Churchill Downs, Starship Jubilee returned to her winning ways in January with a third consecutive score in the Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf. She preceded this score with a convincing win in the Suwannee River (G3).
“She’s been a real Cinderella story and has exceeded expectations, obviously,” Attard said. “It’s just wonderful that I’m a part of it.”
The Florida-bred daughter of Indy Wind is out of the Forest Wildcat mare Perfectly Wild, herself a daughter of Grade 1 winner Perfect Arc. She’s now earned $1,498,667 from a line of 35-17-5-3.
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Outburst grabbed an early and just fended off a late surge from Walk in Marrakesh to claim the $150,000 Florida Oaks (G3) by a head under Castellano.
Coming off a first-level allowance win at Tampa in her U.S. debut on Feb. 7, the daughter of Outstrip made it 2-for-2 in this country as the 2-1 favorite, completing 1 1/16 miles on the turf in 1:42.03. Secret Stash ran third.
Owned by Marc Detampel, TSF Thoroughbred Racing, and Rebecca Hillen, Outburst is trained by Eddie Kenneally. Second and first in a pair of maiden races in provincial France prior to her importation, Outburst has now earned $115,212,
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Trophy Chaser wore down even-money favorite King for a Day inside the final furlong to take the $100,000 Challenger (G3) by a neck under Paco Lopez. It was 11 lengths back to longshot Prompt in third.
Exiting an 8 1/4-length victory against second-level allowance company at Gulfstream, Trophy Chaser earned his first stakes win for JCA Racing Stable and trainer Juan Avila by covering 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:42.28. He paid $6.80. It was
The 4-year-old son of Twirling Candy had placed three times in stakes company previously, most notably in the Gallant Bob (G3) last September. Trophy Chaser has now bankrolled $243,350.
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Doc Boy fired fresh off the bench to score a 1 3/4-length victory in the $75,000 Columbia S., a 1-mile turf heat for 3-year-olds, under Joe Bravo.
Owned by Stallionaire Enterprises and trainer Mike Stidham, Doc Boy was making his first start since October and paid $15.20 after completing the course in 1:34.67. Mr. Kringle finished second by a half-length over Summer Assault, while 6-5 favorite Chapalu finished fifth.
Winner of the Kitten’s Joy S. at Colonial Downs and a close third in the Laurel Futurity last fall, Doc Boy is a son of Into Mischief and has now earned $153,155.
