**Coming up this week:
– The ECLIPSE AWARDS will be handed out on Thursday night in Florida
– Pegasus World Cup on Sunday;
– $3 million Rainbow 6 carryover Wednesday at GP, mandatory payout on Jan 28
JUBILATION
Starship Jubilee is second stakes winner in Florida for Kevin Attard
A real Cinderella story – STARSHIP JUBILEE claimed by Kevin Attard and Soli Mehta a year ago has become a multiple graded stakes winner and she won the Sunshine Million Mare Turf at Gulfstream on Saturday – GULFSTREAM PARK PHOTO
“What a great story this is,” said one of the in-house commentators at Gulfstream Park just minutes before the $150,000 Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf on Jan. 20 at Gulfstream Park. An interview with Woodbine trainer KEVIN ATTARD had just been aired, discussing his mare STARSHIP JUBILEE, who was going to post at odds on for the 1 1/16 mile turf race.
Kevin and another owner, Soli Mehta, claimed Ms. Jubilee for $16,000 a year ago in Florida and took her to Woodbine where she won a couple of graded stakes races and was probably the Champion Turf Mare of the Year in Canada (awards on Apr. 19).
She has returned to her old stompin grounds and was a big winner on the weekend.
It was the seventh win from 12 lifetime starts at Gulfstream for Starship Jubilee ($4) and first since having her five-race win streak snapped in the Sky Classic (G2) last summer, against males, at Woodbine.Starship Jubilee ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:41.03. She posted a 92 Beyer Speed Figure according to Daily Racing Form.
“She came here for the Claiming Crown and I was a little disappointed, but in hindsight I probably should have shipped up a little sooner and let her acclimatize. I thought she tired a little bit last time,” Attard said. “We worked her a little bit harder coming into this spot knowing this was a race we thought she’d be tough in. She definitely loves this course, there’s no doubt about it.”
Starship Jubilee, whose win streak came after being claimed for $16,000 last winter at Gulfstream, settled in third under jockey Jose Lezcano as Daddy’s Boo – a winner of 15 of 25 career starts – sped through fractions of 23.12 and 46.67 seconds, chased by Josdesanimaux.
“She’s an easy filly to ride. She broke good and always put me in a good position,” Lezcano said. “When I asked her, she went on. It’s not too hard to ride a filly like her.”
Lezcano snuck past Josdesanimau along the rail as the three leaders exited the backstretch and swung her to the outside to launch a bid after Daddy’s Boo went six furlongs in 1:10.88. Starship Jubilee set her sights on Daddy’s Boo entering the stretch and gradually wore down the pacesetter to edge clear late.
“The trip set up perfectly. He had her in a great spot and saved ground,” Attard said. “I was worried about [Daddy’s Boo] kind of getting an easy lead and being a hard horse to run down. She’s also a winning machine and you knew she wasn’t going to lay down after kind of having the lead to herself. When he angled out and it looked like he still hadn’t kind of asked her, you feel good at that spot. When he got into her she accelerated and got the job done.”
KEVIN ATTARD (right of jockey Jose Lezcano) and Soli Mehta and Kevins dad, Tino (light blew sweater) celebrate – GULFSTREAM PARK PHOTO
CANADIANS ELSEWHERE… Continue to Cut Swath in Winter Racing
KEVIN ATTARD’s STARSHIP JUBILEE was one of 3 Woodbine winners at Gulfstream on the weekend.
His uncle, SID ATTARD, sent out Cristina Attard’s TROUBLE IN PHOENIX to win a $16,000 claiming race on the grass with a hefty 84 Beyer Figure.
Trouble in Phoenix is an Ontario bred gelding by Victor’s Cry, bred by Paul Buttigeg.
Trainer JOSIE CARROLL sent out Bill Schettine’s LEAD BY EXAMPLE to win a $30,000 claiming race on the grass by a neck in his first race since he was well beaten in the Valdeictory Stakes at Woodbine in December.
Eugene Melnyk may not be in racing anymore but he still has a few homebreds racing, and racing well.
JUST GOT OUT, an Ontario bred by Harlington – Moonshine Gal by Forest Wildcat won the $100,000 Ladies Handicap at Aqueduct on Sunday. The 7-year-old mare, co-owned by trainer Linda Rice, has been traded about in her career which began at Woodbine and Fort Erie in 2013. She raced for Debmar Stable and later for trainer Marcus Vitali.
She was claimed for $20,000 last summer by Rice and this is the first stakes win for the mare. Like her sire, Just Got Out has improved with age and racing distance.
PEGASUS WORLD CUP NEWS
Gun Runner cruises in Monday Jan 22 breeze, all set
GUN RUNNER worked half a mile in 49 at Gulfstream Park this Monday morning, Jan 22, and is all set to take on 10 or 11 rivals on Saturday in the richest race in the world.
GUN RUNNER (5) will take on California speedster COLLECTED and other bears such as WEST COAST and GIANT EXPECTATIONS in speed laden PWC Sat – Cindy Pierson Dulay photo (horse-races.net)
When: Saturday, Jan. 27
Where: Gulfstream Park, Hallandale Beach, Fla. (near Miami)
Basic admission – $75 (down from $100 for first running in 2017
Distance: 1 1/8 miles on the dirt
Purse: $16 million; $7 million of that to the winner
Watch: Coverage starts at 4:30 ET on NBC Sports
GUN RUNNER, set to retire to stud, will have one more race and that is the Pegasus World Cup on Saturday at Gulfstream
The Winchell family’s amazing Candy Ride horse, trained by Steve Asmussen, has brilliant speed and stamina and he will need it in the 9 furlong race. While he is better than most who are slated to compete in the Invitational-type event, the prospect of a sizzling hot pace could make for an interesting event.
Entries:
Collected – 101, 115, 114
Owner: Speedway Stable LLC. | Trainer: Bob Baffert
Hall of Fame trainer Baffert, who saddled Arrogate to victory last year, returns with two starters including Collected, a multiple-graded stakes winner who finished second Nov. 4 at Del Mar in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. The son of City Zip has won eight of 13 starts and is currently training at Santa Anita.
Fear the Cowboy – Cowboy Cal – Whom Shall I Fear by Soto – just won Hals Hope Stakes at Gulfstream. Last 3 Beyer Figures 105, 92, 87
Giant Expectations – by Frost Giant cycled up to a career top Beyer Figure of 106 in his recent victory. His last 3 Beyer Figures read 106, 94, 81.
Gunnevera – 109, 104, 86
Owner: William C. Gallo, et al. | Trainer: Antonio Sano
The popular colt won the Fountain of Youth (G2) and was second in the Travers (G1) at Saratoga this summer and finished in a dead-head for fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. He has three victories over Gulfstream Park and is training at Gulfstream Park West.
Gun Runner 117, 115, 112
Owner: Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC/Three Chimneys Farm.| Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Just two days before the running of Pegasus, Gun Runner is favored to be crowned 2017 Horse of the Year at the 47th Eclipse Awards at Gulfstream. Under the care of Hall of Fame horseman Asmussen, Gun Runner won five of six races in 2017, including four consecutive Grade 1 events. He capped off his season with a gate-to-wire victory in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. The son of Candy Ride is training in New Orleans.
Seeking the Soul 103, 103, 93
Owner: Charles E. Fipke. | Trainer: Dallas Stewart
Bred by Fipke, Seeking the Soul will enter the Pegasus off his biggest win, a half-length victory in the Clark Handicap (G1) at Churchill Downs November 24. The son of Perfect Soul is currently training in New Orleans.
Sharp Azteca 115, 107 112
Speedster recently was put in the race in a spot purchased by Loooch Racing. Won the Cigar Mile in New York recently.
Stellar Wind 80, 103, 101
Owner: Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith (Coolmore). | Trainer: Chad Brown
The lone filly or mare in the Pegasus as of now, Stellar Wind earned an Eclipse Award as champion 3-year-old filly in 2015. She reeled off three consecutive Grade 1 victories earlier this year and is the daughter of two-time Horse of the Year, Curlin. The mare is currently in training at Palm Meadows Training Center in Palm Beach.
Toast of New York – n/a
Owner: Al Shaqab, Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, R.A. Hill, Eric Young. | Trainer: James Osborne
Toast of New York returned from a three-year layoff earlier this month to win at Lingfield Park in Surrey, United Kingdom. After finishing second in the Breeders’ Cup Classic in 2014, the 6-year-old was retired for stallion duties in Dubai but was returned to training in April. He has finished first or second in seven of his nine career starts.
War Story 112 94. 92
Owner: Ron Paolucci and Ashley Quartarolo. | Trainer: Jorge Navarro
West Coast 112. 107. 108
Owner: Gary and Mary West. Trainer: Bob Baffert
Winner of the Travers Stakes and third in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, this 3-year-old has won six of nine starts and has never finished worse than third. Currently training at Santa Anita.
Other possible starter – TBA – The Stronach Group – Singing Bullet .
**Game Over – 92, 93, 94
not confirmed
One of 2 Loooch racing horses entered and this 4-year-old by Mineshaft has not raced since September when 4th beaten 9 lengths to West Coast in the Pennsylvania Derby.
THE UNLIKELY STORY OF TOAST OF NEW YORK
Globetrotting Toast of New York completed the final leg of his journey from England Saturday afternoon and settled in at Gulfstream Park, where he will compete in the $16 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) on Jan. 27.
Toast of New York was flown from England to Miami on Jan. 18 and spent the required 48 hours in quarantine. Once he was released from the USDA facility at the Miami International airport at 4 pm, he was loaded on a van for the 20-mile ride to the track. He walked off the van at 5:32 pm and began his stay in the isolation barn at the track by rolling around in the shavings in his stall.
Jimmy McCarthy, an assistant to trainer Jamie Osborne, who is Toast of New York’s exercise rider, accompanied the 7-year-old on the trip from England. He said the roll in the stall is a standard move by the horse.
McCarthy said the journey from Osborne’s barn went smoothly and that Toast of New York typically behaves well.
“He’s pretty good, most of the time. He’s pretty chilled out,” McCarthy said. “He’s a good traveler. He’s a good tourist. He’s done plenty of it. He’s pretty good on the road.
The Pegasus will be the second start in a remarkable and improbable comeback by Toast of New York, who was the runner-up by a nose in the 2014 Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1). Purchased by Al Shaqab Racing after that big performance at Santa Anita Park, he sustained a tendon injury while training for the 2015 Dubai World Cup and was retired.
Toast of New York stood at stud in Qatar in 2016, covering approximately 15 mares. When veterinarians discovered that the tendon injury had healed, Al Shaqab officials decided to see whether he could resume training and re-enter competition. He was sent back to England and put into an exercise program to improve his fitness. In March 2017, he was sent back to Osborne, who had handled the horse when he won the UAE Derby (G2) and finished second in the Pacific Classic (G1) and the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1).
After he won a race at the Lingfield track in England on Dec. 6, plans were made for competing in the second running of the Pegasus World Cup.
more on CNN.com on Toast of New York
ECLIPSE AWARDS THURSDAY NIGHT NIGHT
Woodbine Mile winner World Approval should be Turf Male champ
Finalists for awards:
Horse of the Year: Arrogate, Gun Runner, World Approval
Two-Year-Old Male: Bolt d’Oro, Good Magic, Solomini
Two-Year-Old Filly: Caledonia Road, Moonshine Memories, Rushing Fall
Three-Year-Old Male: Always Dreaming, Battle of Midway, West Coast
Three-Year-Old Filly: Abel Tasman, Elate, Unique Bella
Older Dirt Male: Arrogate, Collected, Gun Runner
Older Dirt Female: Forever Unbridled, Songbird, Stellar Wind
Male Sprinter: Imperial Hint, Mind Your Biscuits, Roy H
Female Sprinter: Bar of Gold, Paulassilverlining, Unique Bella
Male Turf Horse: Beach Patrol, Talismanic (GB), World Approval
Female Turf Horse: Lady Eli, Off Limits (IRE), Wuheida (GB)
Steeplechase Horse: All the Way Jose, Mr. Hot Stuff, Scorpiancer (IRE)
Owner: Godolphin Racing LLC, Juddmonte Farms, Winchell Thoroughbreds & Three Chimneys Farm
Breeder: Besilu Stables LLC, Clearsky Farms, WinStar Farm, LLC
Trainer: Steve Asmussen, Bob Baffert, Chad Brown
Jockey: Javier Castellano, Jose Ortiz, Mike Smith
Apprentice Jockey: Katie Clawson, Hector Rafael Diaz Jr., Evin A. Roman
In addition to honouring the 17 winners in the horse and human categories, Frank Stronach, Thoroughbred owner, breeder and racetrack owner, will receive the Eclipse Award of Merit for a lifetime of achievement in the Thoroughbred industry. Ray Arsenault will receive an Eclipse Award as the 2017 Horseplayer of the Year. Members of the media will be honored for outstanding coverage in six categories.
CALIFORNIA CHROME’S FIRST FOAL ARRIVES!
Ohio Champion and millionaire PAY THE MAN, a 14-year-old mare by Bernstein, produced the first ever foal for the remarkable CALIFORNIA CHROME last weekend. The big colt was foaled at Calumet Farms in Kentucky. Pay the Man won 27 races and raced until she was 8-years-old.
California Chrome stands at Taylor Made Farm in Ky for $40,000.
HUGH MITCHELL of ONTARIO RACING TALKS TO HRU
“We sail together or we sink apart. It’s that simple. Those are words, but we have to start acting that way. If you’re not prepared to act that way and be sincere and committed to one cause to the betterment of the industry, then, frankly, my view is that you’re not welcome…”
Read full interview:
