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‘Horse Of A Lifetime’ Lord Glitters Ready To Shine On Dubai World Cup Night

When Elwick Stud's Lord Glitters came roaring back to form winning the G1 Jebel Hatta on Super Saturday at Meydan, it embodied why trainer David O'Meara has called the ghostly son of Whipper 'the horse of a lifetime' in interviews. Indeed, it seems the globetrotting fan favorite has been around for a lifetime–or at least two or three standard Thoroughbred careers–while competing at the top level and holding his own impressively.

A nine-time winner from 35 starts, the earner of $2,220,544 is in his sixth season of racing and has competed in 13 Group or Grade 1 affairs, winning twice and placing four times. Saturday's triumph added to an eye-catching victory in the 2019 Queen Anne Stakes (G1) and was his second win from four starts over the Dubai turf course.

“I'm over the moon,” O'Meara said. “It was a great ride by Danny (Tudhope) and a fantastic job done by (assistant/rider) Matt Ennis, who's looking after him out there. It's great for the Turnbull family. Geoff obviously passed away last summer and he'll be looking down smiling, I suspect. Nick, who (runs the stable) now is doing a great job. All systems go, now, for the Dubai Turf. Hopefully we can get there fit and well.”

Geoff Turnbull, who along with wife Sandra ran in name and as Elwick Stud, passed at age 74 in mid-July. The pair's dark blue and pink colors have competed at the top level across the world, including winning the Woodbine Mile (G1) and Arlington Million (G1) with Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) runner-up Mondialiste–who competed in UK, France, America, Canada, Hong Kong and Dubai–and in the past few years by his heir apparent Lord Glitters.

Since being purchased at Arqana for $322,659, following four wins from nine runs in France for Christophe Lotoux, the leggy Lord Glitters has gone on to eclipse Mondialiste's earnings mark, while competing against the best milers and middle-distance horses in the world. His brilliant third-place finish to one of history's great fillies, Almond Eye, in the 2019 Dubai Turf (G1) turned out to be a bit of magic foreshadowing, as he has returned to the UAE for the Dubai World Cup Carnival this year and thrice flourished over the same 1800m (nine-furlong) trip. In addition to the Jebel Hatta, he won the Singspiel (G2) and was an unlucky second in the Al Rashidiya (G2).

The focus now is on the next battle for the ageless warrior: a return to the $4 million Dubai Turf–one without Almond Eye and in which he figures as one of the favorites. A secondary focal point will be keeping the high-energy, massive athlete calm and collected as he faces the very best the globe can throw at him. Such appears to be a labor of love for connections who continue to admire his infinite fervor for competition.

“He's nearly been the same since the day he walked in the yard,” O'Meara said. “He hasn't lost any of his enthusiasm and his exuberant ways. He's a joy to have around the place.

“He's come out of the race okay and swam for a few days and had an easy time of it ahead of building him back up for world cup night,” O'Meara concluded. “We don't need to work him too hard. He's always very generous in his work. A lot of times, it's just keeping a lid on him. On race day, he can get a little warm, but we know him well, now, and how to manage his ways.”

Lord Glitters will surely shine as brightly as he can on Dubai World Cup day.

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Woodbine Bringing Back Canadian International In 2021, Boosts All Grade 3 Purses 20 Percent

Woodbine Entertainment unveiled its stakes schedule today for the 2021 Thoroughbred racing season at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario, set to open April 17 (subject to the latest Ontario Government COVID-19 protocols).

The lucrative 2021 Thoroughbred stakes program will offer more than $16.5 million in purses across 87 stakes and feature a pair of $1 million classics, including the iconic Queen's Plate (Sunday, August 22), as well as the Grade 1 Ricoh Woodbine Mile (Saturday, September 18), a Breeders' Cup “Win And You're In” race. The G1 $600,000 Pattison Canadian International returns after a year hiatus due to the global COVID-19 pandemic and will be featured on the Woodbine Mile card along with the G2 $250,000 Canadian Stakes. The G1 Natalma and G1 Summer, both designated as Breeders' Cup “Win And You're In” races, have each received notable purse increases to $400,000 from $250,000. The G1 Highlander Stakes, with an increased purse of $350,000 (up from $300,000), also returns after a year hiatus due to the pandemic and will be featured on The Queen's Plate card on Aug. 22. Purses for all Grade 3 Stakes races at Woodbine Racetrack are also receiving a 20 percent increase to $150,000.

“We are excited to bring back the Pattison Canadian International as part of our world-class stakes schedule for the 2021 Thoroughbred meet at Woodbine Racetrack,” said Jim Lawson, CEO, Woodbine Entertainment. “The 2021 stakes schedule includes several significant purse increases, including the Grade 1 Natalma and Grade 1 Summer, as well as all Grade 3 stakes. These increases, along with a strong complement of stakes races for all ages, and robust Ontario Bred stakes offerings, will deliver exciting racing, competitive fields, and an abundance of wagering options available on Woodbine's outstanding live racing product.”

The Toronto racetrack will host the first and third legs of the Canadian Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, starting with the 162nd running of the historic Queen's Plate and concluding with the $400,000 Breeders' Stakes on Sunday, Oct. 3. The second leg, the $400,000 Prince of Wales Stakes, will be run at Fort Erie Race Track on Tuesday, Sept. 14.

On Sept. 19, a pair of juvenile Breeders' Cup “Win And You're In” races take the spotlight, the G1 Natalma for 2-year-old fillies and G1 Summer for 2-year-olds. The Woodbine Cares and Ontario Racing Stakes, juvenile Inner Turf stakes introduced in 2019, will be contested on the same Sunday with purses of $125,000 each.

On Sunday, Oct. 17, the $600,000 E.P. Taylor Stakes (G1) headlines the day and serves as the final leg of Woodbine's Ladies of the Lawn Series, which offers $75,000 in bonuses to the top performers based on points accumulated in the designated graded turf routes for fillies and mares. The series also includes $175,000 Dance Smartly Stakes (G2) and $250,000 Canadian Stakes (G2). The winner of the Ladies of the Lawn Series in 2020 was Elizabeth Way.

The $500,000 Woodbine Oaks Presented by Budweiser, first leg of the prestigious Canadian Triple Tiara, headlines another major race card on Sunday, July 25, which includes the $150,000 Plate Trial, a key prep on the road to The Queen's Plate.

A strong Ontario Bred stakes offering includes the reinstatement of the Sir Barton Stakes, Shady Well Stakes, and Clarendon, each carrying a $150,000 purse.

“Our Ontario Bred and Ontario Sired stakes calendar and strong overnight opportunities remain an integral part of our racing program at Woodbine,” Lawson said. “We have very attractive opportunities for Ontario horses to stay and race at home and are excited about the return of the stakes races we were not able to run last year.”

The other classics for horses foaled in Canada are the Bison City (Sunday, Aug. 15), Wonder Where (Saturday, Oct. 2), Cup & Saucer (Sunday, Oct. 10), Princess Elizabeth (Saturday, Oct. 23) and Coronation Futurity (Saturday, Oct. 30). Each race carries a purse of $250,000.

Woodbine will celebrate Canada Day with a special Thursday afternoon program on July 1 highlighted by the G3 Dominion Day.

This year's Yearling Sales Stakes day, slated for Sunday, Aug. 29, will feature four stakes, including a pair of 2-year-old events (Simcoe and Muskoka) and a pair of 3-year-old events (Elgin and Algoma).

Also of note for 2021, Listed races have increased purses to $125,000, boosted from $100,000.

“Last year was obviously a challenging year for the industry due to COVID-19,” remarked Lawson. “While Woodbine Entertainment and the horse racing industry continue to be impacted, we are hopeful that the pandemic in Ontario improves in the coming months, allowing businesses and industries to safely re-open, including our ability to start our 2021 meet as planned on Saturday, April 17.”

Woodbine's 2021 stakes schedule is subject to approval by the Graded Stakes Committee.

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‘Emotional’ Goodbye: Starship Jubilee Retired Sound After Losing Rider In Breeders’ Cup

Two-time Grade 1 winner Starship Jubilee, a $16,000 claim in 2017, has officially been retired from racing, according to the Daily Racing Form. The 7-year-old daughter of Indy Wind stumbled at the start of the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf on Saturday at Keeneland, unseating jockey Florent Geroux, but was uninjured after being corralled by an outrider and retires sound.

Claimed in February of 2017 at Gulfstream by Tino Attard, the filly won a trio of allowance races before being transferred to Woodbine. Trained by his son, Kevin Attard, for all of her graded stakes victories, Starship Jubilee began to show her talent over the turf with a win in the 2017 G2 Nassau Stakes in May. In all she won nine graded stakes, including the 2019 G1 E. P. Taylor Stakes and the 2020 G1 Woodbine Mile.

Bred in Florida, Starship Jubilee also won three straight editions of the Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf Stakes at Gulfstream, from 2018 through 2020. She retires with a record of 19 wins from 38 starts, with earnings of $2,093,069.

“It was really emotional for me to say goodbye to her,” Attard told drf.com. “She obviously meant a lot to me, my family, and my career. Horses like her become part of your family. You look forward to seeing them every morning in the barn. It's going to be hard walking by her stall.”

Attard Hoping To ‘Savor The Moment’ With Rags-To-Riches Breeders’ Cup Contender Starship Jubilee

It didn't take long for trainer Kevin Attard to understand that some folks at Keeneland appreciate Starship Jubilee, his 7-year-old mare with the rags-to-riches story, who will run in Saturday's Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf.

Twice claimed early in her career, the Florida-bred has developed into a star with Attard. Twelve of her 19 career wins in 38 starts have come in stakes. Two of those victories were in Grade 1 races, including the most recent, the Woodbine Mile against males Sept. 19.

“As soon as she hit the track there were a couple of people out there and they said, 'Hey Starship Jubilee. I'm rooting for you,' “Attard said. “It's nice to hear and you really kind of savor that moment and realize that the following and the backing that she has generated over the years.”

Attard and his partner Soli Mehta claimed Starship Jubilee for $16,000 in February 2017 at Gulfstream. Attard's father, Tino, was the trainer of record when she reeled off three straight wins at Gulfstream in March and April. Moved to Woodbine in suburban Toronto and officially in the care of Kevin Attard, Starship Jubilee promptly won two Grade 2 races, the Nassau and the Dance Smartly. The one-time mediocre turf sprinter thrived in routes on grass.

In 29 races – never at less than a mile – she has compiled a 16-4-3 record in 29 starts and earned $2,052,519. She has won three Sovereign Awards as the top Canadian turf female and is Canada's reigning Horse of the Year.

In November 2018, Attard and Mehta offered the then-5-year-old mare for sale at auction at Keeneland. When bidding stopped at $425,000, below her reserve price, the owners decided to continue racing her. Within a day, though, they completed a sale with Bonnie Baskin's Blue Heaven Farm, a Versailles, Kentucky, commercial breeding farm managed by her son Adam Corndorf.

Attard suggested that Blue Heaven run the mare a few more times before being bred to Medaglia d'Oro in 2019. That mating ended up being put on hold for two seasons as she has won eight of 13 starts and earned more than $1.5 million. This year, Starship Jubilee has won five of six starts, including the Ballston Spa at Saratoga, a race that included champion Sistercharlie. After running fourth in the Diana — her first time off the board since December 2018 — at Saratoga on Aug. 23, she rebounded with the 1-length victory in the Woodbine Mile.

“Huge win, beating the boys in the Woodbine Mile,” Attard said. “It was a pretty gutsy performance on her part. She ran really well. She came out of the race in good shape. She's training great.

“It was a decision to either run against the males here in the Breeders' Cup Mile or in the Filly and Mare Turf at a mile and three-sixteenths against fillies. We elected to take the filly route. The mile and three-sixteenths should be up in her wheel house. She's been going a mile and a quarter. No race is easy, that's for sure.”

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