Blueberry Hill Romps to ‘Rising Star’ Title

Blueberry Hill (3f Munnings x Sloane Square, by Giant’s Causeway) was named a Thoroughbred Daily News Rising Star for Munnings with a 5 ¾ length debut victory at Gulfstream Park Thursday.

The Todd Pletcher trainee started her career going seven furlongs after after registering a bullet two works ago. The filly was quick out of the gate as the only debutante in the field and set the pace with a half-length advantage on race favorite Keepsake.

Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. unleashed her midway around the turn and Blueberry Hill showed her talent when easily pulling away. Only Keepsake was within 9 ¾ lengths of her at the line with that one 5 ¾ lengths behind the winner.

A second generation homebred for Michael Tabor, Blueberry Hill is out of the Grade III-placed Sloane Square, who is the dam of three winners from four to race.

The mare is a full sister to stakes winner Bow Bells and half-sister to American Pharoah’s stakes placed Wigmore Street in addition to the multiple stakes placed Chief Little Hawk. They are four of 10 winners out of Grade I winner Marylebone.

Sloane Square has a Munnings 2-year-old colt and an Uncle Mo yearling filly.

This is the 15th Rising Star for Munnings, who registered four of them in 2024 alone.