TORONTO, September 19, 2020 – Starship Jubilee and jockey Justin Stein won the 24th running of the $1 million Ricoh Woodbine Mile, a Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series ‘Win And You’re In’ race for three-year-olds and up over the E.P. Taylor Turf Course on Saturday at Woodbine Racetrack. The seven-year-old Indy Wind-Perfectly Wild mare is trained by Kevin Attard for owner Blue Heaven Farm. Top four finishers: Starship Jubilee-March to the Arch-War of Will-Olympic Runner Final time: 1:32.06 Justin Stein, jockey of Starship Jubilee Jeff Bratt (JB): Justin Stein’s great year continues. You’ve ridden against this mare numerous times, you got to ride her today. Perfect positioning, at what time do you think I’m going to win this race? Justin Stein (JS): Sitting inside the three-eighths pole, around the 5/16ths pole I had tons, and I waited for a chance to tip her out and ask her to run. She’s so honest and wants to win more than anybody else out there. I watched her replays, she’s just gritty. She just waited for her cue and took off like a scalded cat. She was gone. JB: Did the race unfold how you had envisioned? JS: “I paid attention to what other people had said. I expected War of Will to be up there. Instead he was on my flank and we were in company down the backside, and Shirl’s Speight was up there and Admiralty Pier. It kind of shaped the way I thought. I was in great position and I was just happy with the trip I got.” JB: Looking at your journey to where you are now…you retired, you came back. Can you believe that you’ve got the Queen’s Plate (2012) and now you’ve got the Ricoh Woodbine Mile on your resume? JS: “It’s pretty special. Life’s funny; I had an opportunity to come back and I’ve just kind of seized the day and I keep going.” Kevin Attard, trainer of Starship Jubilee Jason Portuondo (JP): How good does this feel? Kevin Attard (KA): Just an unbelievable feeling. This mare doesn’t get the respect she deserves. She’s a winner of 18 or 19 races out of 38 starts, I was really disappointed to see her at 6-1 on the board….just kind of forgotten about. Time after time she comes up and proves that she’s a top horse in North America. JP: Now she’s a $2 million mare. She won the E.P. Taylor for you and now this race, do you start thinking about that first weekend in November? KA: Definitely. I’m just going to enjoy the moment right now but it’s obviously a special feeling to know that this race has produced so many horses that have gone on to win the Breeders’ Cup so I’m really ecstatic right now and that’s somewhere we’ve been aiming to go all year long. This is just one step closer. JP: And quickly, if this horse does go to the Breeders’ Cup, you know who’s giving that leg-up [Attard’s son Joshua], right? KA: Yeah, we’re not changing anything. Even the interviewer I want there. (laughs) *Additional quotes will be added here when available. Share This:Share
