Moment Is Right Game in Astoria Victory

Ten Broeck Farm's Moment Is Right showed her standout introduction was no fluke in the $250,000 Astoria Stakes June 4 at Belmont Park, where she handled a challenge from fellow debut winner Decked Out to claim the 5 1/2-furlong dirt test by 1 1/2 lengths .



The 2-year-old Medaglia d'Oro   filly, who broke her maiden in gate-to-wire fashion at first asking by 8 1/2 lengths in a 4 1/2-furlong maiden special weight event May 15 at Gulfstream Park, overcame a bobbled start to show the same front-running style in the Astoria. She opened up an easy four-length lead, with fractions of :22.23 and :45.67 through a half mile, then received a threat from favorite Decked Out, to her outside, in the stretch.



The two fillies dueled eye-to-eye until inside the final furlong, while Moment Is Right resisted shifting leads, but the winner eventually dispatched the challenger to hit the wire at 1:04.77 over a dirt course rated fast. One Minute was five lengths back in third in the four-filly field and La Nina finished last. The winner paid $4.70 and $2.30, while Decked Out delivered $2.20 to place.



"She broke nicely and she has speed, so she went right to the lead," said winning jockey Joel Rosario. "It's 5 1/2 furlongs, so it's a short distance, but you always have to save a little bit for the end. When she saw the other horse coming to her, she responded and ran again."



Bred in Kentucky by Woodford Thoroughbreds out of the Vicar mare Rite Moment, the dark brown filly trained by Wesley Ward now has $171,600 in earnings and a two-for-two record.



"It was a short field, but she showed a lot of heart, you know," Ward said. "She busted out there and when (Decked Out) came by her, she dug right in."



Decked Out's jockey, Kent Desormeaux, who was riding for his brother, trainer Keith Desormeaux, was optimistic about his mount's future.



"This filly is going to enjoy more real estate and I had her off her feet, just trying to keep up with the black horse in front of her," Kent Desormeaux said. "I don't think I would have challenged her even if I attempted to be closer, but from the quarter pole to the eighth pole, I didn't think I could lose. I just got to the winner and the winner had something left."



Moment Is Right was a $190,000 purchase out of the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga 2014 Yearling Sale.



Little Cherie was scratched, as was first-time starter Tonasah, who flipped during the post parade, unseated jockey Javier Castellano, then evaded outriders on the main track for about 10 minutes before being corralled.