Saffron Moon Lowers Stakes Mark in Endeavour
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Photo: SV Photography
Saffron Moon wins the Endeavour Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs
Highly regarded since breaking her maiden at Keeneland as a 3-year-old, CHP Racing's Saffron Moon broke through at the graded level while lowering the stakes record in the process in the $150,000 Endeavour Stakes (G3T) at Tampa Bay Downs Feb. 1.
Despite the fact Saffron Moon was making just her second start in 14 months, the daughter of Malibu Moon had left such an impression in her previous nine outings that she stepped into the gate as the 8-5 favorite against a competitive group of older fillies and mares. It also helped her cause that she hailed from the barn of recent Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown and was piloted by Eclipse Award-winning jockey Flavien Prat in the 1 1/16-mile Endeavour.
Taken far off a brisk pace set by graded stakes winner Ocean Club , Saffron Moon rated willingly between horses as the runaway front-runner posted opening splits of :23.33, :46:64, and 1:10.12. Cued turning for home, Saffron Moon tipped to the far outside and mowed down the field with a powerful late rally.
Finishing full of run, Saffron Moon ($5.60) hit the wire in a new stakes record time of 1:39.92, just off the course record of 1:39.25.
It was a photo finish 2 1/4 lengths behind Saffron Moon, with See You Around edging Saffron Moon's stablemate Venencia by a head for second.
Saffron Moon provided Brown with his fifth win in the Endeavour. The trainer has captured the race three times in the last five years, winning with eventual grade 1 winner Bleecker Street in 2022 and Counterparty Risk in 2021.
Recording the first stakes win of her career, 6-year-old Saffron Moon was bred by Cove Springs Farm in Kentucky. An $80,000 yearling at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, she is one of three winners produced by her dam, the Medaglia d'Oro mare Crocus Hill, herself a daughter of the grade 1-winning turf mare Vacare.