By the Moon Has Deep Roots with Jay Em Ess

Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) hopeful Masochistic might be the big horse in owner Samantha Siegel's racing stable, but By the Moon has deeper roots in her Jay Em Ess operation.

Siegel bought into Masochistic midway through his racing career and owns him with Will Shamlian's Los Pollos Hermanos Racing. She bred By the Moon, pre-entered in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (gr. I), from the mare By the Light, who raced for Siegel and her late father, Mace.

By the Moon is coming into the Filly & Mare Sprint off a win in the Bed o' Roses Handicap (gr. III) at Belmont Park and a second to Haveyougoneaway in the Ballerina Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga Race Course. Carina Mia, winner of the 2016 Acorn Stakes (gr. I), finished third in the Ballerina. By the Moon defeated Wavell Avenue, the 2015 Filly & Mare Sprint winner, in the Bed o' Roses.

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"By the Moon was down on the inside, and in the stretch a nice hole opened up, and she went right through it," Siegel said. "She's very tractable. She's doing well, and she's had three works over this track (at Santa Anita Park). She looks like she handles it just fine."

Siegel selected By the Light out of the 2006 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Eastern fall yearling sale. She purchased the New York-bred daughter of Malibu Moon  —Dixie Tempo, by Major Impact, for $190,000.

By the Light, trained by Richard Dutrow primarily on the East Coast, earned $885,632, won nine stakes, and placed in six others. In 20 starts, she never finished worse than fourth. By the Light faced grade I competition only once, when second to champion female sprinter Indian Blessingin the 2008 Prioress Stakes (gr. I).

To the cover of Indian Charlie, By the Light produced By the Moon in Kentucky. Though Siegel lives in California and keeps many of her horses on the West Coast with trainer Ron Ellis, By the Light went to trainer Michelle Nevin in the East.

"Michelle actually used to get on By the Light," Siegel said. "So when I was dividing up my 2-year-olds, I thought they'd be a perfect fit."

By the Moon aced her first start, on opening day of the Saratoga meeting in 2014. She earned a "Win and You're In" berth to that year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I) by beating Wonder Gal in Belmont's Frizette Stakes (gr. I).

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"We weren't sure about the two turns then, but it was a Win and You're In," Siegel said.

By the Moon finished unplaced in the Juvenile Fillies, but it is the 2015 Acorn (gr. I) that still haunts Siegel.

"She was like five in front at the eighth pole and got nailed right on the wire," said Siegel. "And she was an absolutely stupid price—30-1."

By the Moon finished second by a neck in the Acorn to Curalina, who was pre-entered in the Filly & Mare Sprint but has first preference in the Breeders' Cup Distaff (gr. I). The Filly & Mare Sprint has several in the field that By the Moon has encountered previously. Wavell Avenue is returning, along with Haveyougoneaway, Carina Mia, and Wonder Gal.

The one By the Moon knows the best is Paulassilverlining, who won the 2016 Distaff Handicap (gr. III)--in which By the Moon came in fourth--and finished fifth in the Ballerina. Nevin also trains Paulassilverlining, owned and bred by Vincent Scuderi.

By the Moon shipped to Santa Anita early, while Paulassilverlining arrived Oct. 28. They occupy adjacent stalls in Ellis' Santa Anita barn, because back in New York they are barn buddies.