Starship Jubilee Triumphant in G2 Canadian

TORONTO, ON – Third in this race a year ago, owner/trainer Kevin Attard’s Starship Jubilee swept to the lead at the top of the stretch and took off to win Saturday’s Grade 2, $250,000 Canadian Stakes Presented by the Japan Racing Association at Woodbine.

Breaking from post 6 under Luis Contreras at odds of 11/1, Starship Jubilee settled at the rear while Daring Duchess posted opening fractions of :23.08 and :45.68. Still running last of six as the field entered the far turn, Contreras waited until a hole opened and he tipped her off the rail to split foes. Running five-wide as she straightened for home, Starship Jubilee shot past the outside of the Chad Brown-trained pair of New Money Honey and Inflexibility with a strong turn of foot before crossing the wire with a 3 1/4-length advantage in a final time of 1:42.91 for the 1 1/8-mile event over the firm turf course.

 “She was really good,” Contreras said. “Kevin told me in the paddock just to get her to relax, that’s the best way she can finish the race, and he was right. I was waiting. I got a perfect trip. She helped me a lot. When I got her to relax, she was nice and calm early. Once I hit the 3/8, I saw my room and I went through, and she gave me everything from there.”

Though she was unable to keep up with the winner in the final furlong, New Money Honey was able to beat her even-money-favorite stablemate for second by a head. Bletchley‘s rail trip wasn’t enough to help her hit the board and she settled for fourth, 2 lengths behind. Hallie Belle and a spent Daring Duchess completed the order of finish. Mythical Mission and Niigon’s Eclipse were both scratched.

Starship Jubilee’s win was her second straight following a starter allowance victory here on August 6. The 5-year-old daughter of Indy Wind improved her record to 23-11-2-2 with a lifetime bankroll of $541,013.

“I made a few mistakes with her early this year,” said Attard, who co-owns with Soli Mehta. “We sent her home for a break and she kind of just didn’t swing back after that vacation. We needed a confidence builder in her and we found one for her and she was pretty authoritative that day. She came into this race and she worked lights out last week and I just had a good feeling that if we had a good trip, she’d come running down the lane.”

Starship Jubilee returned $25.30 to win, $8.40 to place, and $3.40 to show. New Money Honey brought back $3.90 to place and $2.20 to show, while Inflexibility paid $2.20 to show.