Just a nose short of getting her first graded win in the Mar. 6 GIII Florida Oaks, Jouster offered no anxious moments this time, rolling home a comfortable winner in Saturday's GII Appalachian S. at Keeneland.
Signaling her readiness with a sharp four-furlong move in :48.46 at Palm Beach Downs Mar. 27, the 8-5 favorite went straight to the front as her partner, Luis Saez, lulled the field to sleep through initial splits of :24.82 and :49.87. With plenty in reserve kicking for home, the Starlight Racing runner built a comfortable cushion and was kept to task late, crossing the wire a geared-down 3/4-length winner over European transplant Gift List (GB) with Plum Ali third.
“She was so professional today, she broke from there so sharp,” said Saez, who was recording his third win of the afternoon. “We just tried to relax and she did it so perfect. She came into the stretch and I had so much horse, so I was just letting her be happy and we came to the end she just took off. She's good.”
Runner up in her career debut sprinting six furlongs in the Saratoga slop last August, Jouster finished fifth next time stretching to a mile at Belmont in September. Off for the remainder of the season, she kicked off the year in style, scoring by 8 3/4 lengths over the Gulfstream turf Jan. 10 and earning TDN Rising Star status in the process. She came back to make it two straight at the Hallandale oval with another confident victory Feb. 7.
Pedigree Notes:
Jouster's win in Keeneland's Appalachian makes her the third graded/group winner for her sire Noble Mission (GB), a full-brother to champion and leading sire Frankel (GB). Purchased by Starlight for $360,000 at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Yearling Sale, the filly is out of Playtime, a daughter of champion 2-year-old filly Storm Flag Flying (Storm Cat) and granddaughter of multiple Grade I winner My Flag (Easy Goer). A half-sister to multiple graded placed Revved Up (Candy Ride {Arg}), the 9-year-old mare produced her latest live foal, a filly by West Coast, last season. This represents the family of the undefeated Champion Older Mare Personal Ensign (Private Account).
Saturday, Keeneland
APPALACHIAN S. PRESENTED BY JAPAN RACING ASSOCIATION-GII, $200,000, Keeneland, 4-3, 3yo, f, 1mT, 1:36.83, gd.
1–JOUSTER, 118, f, 3, by Noble Mission (GB)
1st Dam: Playtime, by Street Cry (Ire)
2nd Dam: Storm Flag Flying, by Storm Cat
3rd Dam: My Flag, by Easy Goer
'TDN Rising Star' 1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES
WIN. ($360,000 Ylg '19 FTSAUG). O-Starlight Racing; B-St. Elias
Stables, LLC (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher; J-Luis Saez. $120,000.
Lifetime Record: 6-3-2-0, $214,920. Werk Nick Rating: A.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Gift List (GB), 118, f, 3, Bated Breath (GB)–Birthstone (GB),
by Machiavellian. (23,000gns Ylg '19 TAOCT). O-Amerman
Racing LLC; B-James Ortega Bloodstock Ltd (GB); T-Brian A.
Lynch. $40,000.
3–Plum Ali, 120, f, 3, First Samurai–Skipping, by Stroll. ($65,000
Ylg '19 KEESEP). O-Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables LLC &
Bethlehem Stables LLC; B-Stone Farm (KY); T-Christophe
Clement. $20,000.
Margins: 1HF, HF, 3HF. Odds: 1.70, 8.30, 2.30.
Also Ran: Saranya, Flown, Spanish Loveaffair.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
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