5th-Belmont The Big A, $90,000, Msw, 9-28, 2yo, 1m (off turf), 1:36.04, ft, 8 lengths.
MOONLIGHT (c, 2, Audible–Sundown, by Tapit) showed ability when second by just a neck to GI Summer S. winner Carson's Run (Cupid) when unveiled over 1 1/16 miles on the grass at Saratoga July 29. Racing with blinkers added Thursday, the 6-5 favorite drew in off the also-eligible list in this off-the-turf event and quickly was up to pressure fellow also-eligible entry Stolen Magic (Good Magic) for the lead. As that runner began to fade into the turn, Moonlight took over command and made it a one-horse race down the lane, drawing off as the class of the field to defeat first-time starter Malarchuk (Nyquist) by eight lengths. The 10th winner for his freshman sire (by Into Mischief), Moonlight is the fifth winner from as many to race from his dam. Sundown produced a yearling filly by Practical Joke and has a weanling colt by Mendelssohn. She was bred back to Omaha Beach. Sales History: $235,000 RNA Ylg '22 FTSAUG; $170,000 Ylg '22 FTKOCT; $285,000 2yo '23 OBSAPR. Lifetime Record: 2-1-1-0, $70,500. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
O-Town and Country Racing, LLC; B-Peter E. Blum Thoroughbreds, LLC (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher.
#11 Moonlight gets blinkers and graduates in R5 at Belmont for trainer Todd Pletcher with @iradortiz in the irons! 🌙
🎥 #TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/lVcpYL92gk
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) September 28, 2023
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