Stormshaft captures thriller Jump Town(G2)
Kentucky– Tripcrown9’s Stormshaft sure took her heartbreaking second place finish in this year’s Breeders Bowl Distaff in stride. The 3YO daughter of Mineshaft bounced back professionally as the racetime favorite in the Grade 2 $250,000 Jump Town Handicap.
Stormshaft pushed all the right buttons — the filly sat chilly midpack in the nine furlong main track contest for distaffers. Jockey P. Cadigan gracefully guided the starlet up to contention at the top of the stretch.
All that sat between Stormshaft and the finish line was tnilsson’s popular racemare, Estrogen. The 4YO daughter of Sadler’s Wells was unplaced in the Breeders Bowl Mile and definitely felt frisky with the return to the sand. Estrogen led straight out of the gate and the pacesetter seemed to have her 12th career victory well in hand.
But Stormshaft had other thoughts. The filly gobbled up ground and matched strides with the elder filly in the final hundred yards. The pair crossed the wire in 1:48 1/5.
Immediately, Bluegrass Racetrack officials posted the photo sign and it took several minutes before the payoffs went up. Stormshaft prevailed by a head over her elder rival. Top distaffers Squall Is A Storm and Dangerous Reward were never in the hunt, finishing 6th and 10th respectively.
Stormshaft notched her 7th lifetime score from just 17 starts. It was her 3rd graded stakes win of the season. Besides the Breeders Bowl, Stormshaft’s other notable accomplishment this year was a tough runner-up effort again to superfilly Swift Kick in the Bluegrass Oaks(G1).
Stormshaft has now earned $1.3 million and ranks 3rd in the 3YO Filly Classic Dirt Division.