The money poured in on Kentucky shipper JILL JITTERBUG before the running of the $125,000 Star Shoot Stakes at Woodbine on Saturday, April 29, and it turned out to be smart money. Bettors, however, needed a little help from the AGCO stewards to collect their cash.
Trained and bred by Ryan Walsh and owned by Anne Walsh, Jill Jitterbug and jockey Sahin Civaci, sent off at even money in the eight-filly field, stayed some five lengths off the early speed of Ivan Dalos’ Collecting Flatter, Strokes (Ire) from the Mark Casse barn and Florida shipper Blind Spot.
The first two furlongs went in 23.08 and the pace picked up with a half mile in 45.46 as Blind Spot and Tyler Connor edged clear of Strokes into the stretch. Jill Jitterbug, who had angled out four wide off the turn, closed steadily on the outside while drifting in from right-handed crop work from Civaci. While Jill Jitterbug drifted in slightly, Blind Spot drifted out and moved in front of the closing rival, causing her to lose her path. Blind Spot held on to win by a neck in a time of 1:10.32.
That gave Blind Spot and Jill Jitterbug a 74 Beyer Figure, according to Daily Racing Form.
“Down the stretch, my horse was running really well,” Civaci said. “(Conner) came out instantly and it slowed my horse’s momentum. That took a lot from my horse, and I thought I was going to get to the wire (first) if he hadn’t done that.”
Jill Jitterbug, who, like Blind Spot, is a daughter of the Unbridled’s Song sire Cross Traffic, was winning for the third time in 7 races. The small bay was coming off two runner-up placings in stakes races at Tampa Bay Downs. For the Walsh team, this was their second major horse to win a stakes race at Woodbine as they enjoyed several wins by Cactus Kris in 2014-2016 in Toronto.
The Walshs also raced Jill Jitterbug’s stakes-placed dam Sweet Nikosi by A.P. Warrior.
Finishing strongly for third was the grey filly Kavala, who broke very slowly under Rafael Hernandez. The daughter of Ontario sire Mohaymen was undefeated in two previous starts for James Fleming and trainer Bill Tharrenos.
The disqualification of Blind Spot, trained by Saffie Joseph, Jr. was not popular with bettors who had watched a similar incident earlier in the day result in no change (see Race 3 below).
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ROCKCREST, an Ontario-sired and bred son of Old Forester – Saint Judy by Mineshaft, pulled off a huge upset in an allowance race over the fast Tapeta surface on Saturday. The grey six-year-old, owned and trained by Nigel Burke and ridden by Jason Hoyte, was predictably quick out of the gate and had a short lead on heavily-favoured Filo di Arianna (Brz) and Emma-Jayne Wilson. ‘Filo’, who won two Sovereign Awards for Male Sprinter and Male Turf horse in 2022, was in tight after that while on the rail and headstrong. By the time the champ got out of a jackpot in the stretch run, it was too late and Rockcrest won by half a length in 1:02.85 for a big 96 Beyer Figure.
Bred by Northern Dawn Stable, Rockcrest has six wins in 25 races and earned over $70,000 for the victory. He has earnings of over $370,000. The gelding was a $15,000 yearling purchase.
In the Welcome Back starter handicap it was Bruno Schickedanz’s COTTON (Twirling Candy – Bay Island by Bluegrass Cat) who flew to a 1 1/4 length win at 80 cents on the dollar in 1:03.31 for 5 1/2 furlongs. The dark bay was making his second start for the owner and trainer Martin Drexler. He was claimed last fall for $15,000 and then was a troubled third in a Gulfstream sprint in March. Rafael Hernandez rode the five-year-old.
Trainer MICHELLE LOVE sent out the first-time starter FOOLISH GAMES to an impressive debut win in the final. The Ontario-bred by Reload – Jungle Jewel by Horse Greeley was a $15,000 yearling purchase and is owned by Mentec Mississauga Industrial Equipment, Big Willow Farm and Love. Quick from the gate in the 5 furlong maiden/optional race, the fleet filly won easily by 4 1/2 lengths in 57.25 for a 70 Beyer Figure.
Foolish Games was ridden by Oman Moreno.
Another fast winner on the day was CLASSIC DANCER, a son of Collected and a half-brother to Queen’s Plate winner Safe Conduct. The John Oxley three-year-old, who showed little in two races at Fair Grounds, was racing as a first-time gelding and dropping in to a claiming price ($40,000) and he led all the way to win in 1:09.78 for an 84 Beyer Figure. Classic Dancer was bred by Mitch Kursner.
Inquiry video from Star Shoot Stakes HERE.
Inquiry video from race 3 HERE.
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