East Jabip (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) belied debut odds of just over 9-1 to take a field of Gulfstream maidens gate to wire on one-mile debut Feb. 26 and was the 18-5 second choice stepping up to face winners for the first time in a first-level allowance at Keeneland on Thursday.
Away alertly from gate four, the €36,000 Goffs Orby purchase prompted a strong early pace before easing into the box seat for the run down the back straight. Continuing to ride the rails into the turn, East Jabip came off the fence to challenge nearing the entrance to the stretch, opened a sizable lead into the final furlong and was never in danger, scoring by 2 1/2 lengths.
The winner's dam, second in the 2020 G2 Debutante Stakes in the colors of Mrs. Jim Bolger, is a half-sister to the Joseph O'Brien-trained Twilight Payment (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), winner of the G1 Melbourne Cup in 2020 and also four times a group winner and twice placed in the G1 Irish St Leger in Europe. The dam of a 2-year-old filly by Space Blues (Ire), Bandiuc Eile is also represented by a yearling full-sister to East Jabip.
6th-Keeneland, $93,666, Alw, 4-9, (NW1X), 3yo, f, 1 1/16mT, 1:42.22, fm, 2 1/2 lengths.
EAST JABIP (IRE) (f, 3, Mehmas {Ire}–Bandiuc Eile {Ire} {GSP-Ire}, by New Approach {Ire}) Sales history: €36,000 Ylg '24 GOFORY. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $88,156. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
O-Blue Bird Stables; B-JS Bolger (IRE); T-Brian A Lynch.
(4) East Jabip (IRE) scores in race 6! (5) Rhythm Lady is second, (6) Three To G takes third. pic.twitter.com/7bXf2SMwHL
— Keeneland Racing (@keenelandracing) April 9, 2026
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