Power Partnership Behind Moonshine Memories

Moonshine Memories, a bay daughter of Malibu Moon  who already has a pair of grade 1 wins in her hip pocket, will be a strong favorite Nov. 4 in the 14 Hands Winery Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1). Her ownership group of John Malone's Bridlewood Farm and the Coolmore team of Michael Tabor, Susan Magnier, and Derrick Smith highlight a trend in the bloodstock business of major entities partnering on high-priced sale horses.

Trained by Simon Callaghan, Moonshine Memories was precocious, breaking her maiden at first asking going six furlongs at Del Mar Aug. 19. She was wheeled right back in the Breeders' Cup host track's grade 1 Del Mar Debutante Stakes (G1) Sept. 2. She successfully stretched from six to seven furlongs with a wire-to-wire half-length score over Piedi Bianchi. Santa Anita's grade 1 Chandelier Stakes at the Juvenile Fillies distance of 1 1/16 miles, proved right in her wheelhouse has she spurted away to a 2 3/4-length win over favorite Alluring Star.

Bred by Jane Lyons' Summer Wind Farm, Moonshine Memories is out of the Unbridled's Song mare Unenchantedevening. Unenchantedevening is a half sister to Favorite Trick (by Phone Trick), winner of the 1997 Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) and not only that year's champion juvenile male, but one of two horses in the Eclipse Award era to be named Horse of the Year. The other is ... Secretariat.

As part of the Lane's End consignment at the 2016 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling sale, Moonshine Memories sold to Bridlewood and Coolmore's M.V. Magnier for $650,000 —the fifth highest filly at the high-end auction.

"We were working that sale to buy colts and looked at everything in the catalog," said Bridlewood general manager George Isaacs. "Myself and the Bridlewood farm trainer Jonathan Thomas were working diligently. We were working with some other partners such as Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Robert LaPenta and were comparing notes.

"It's ironic that Bolt d'Oro (likely favorite for the grade 1 Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile) came out of that sale, but we weren't finding the colts we were looking for, but we all agreed we loved this filly (Moonshine Memories)," he said.

"Before the sale, (Paul) Shanahan of Coolmore had reached out to me and said he would like to partner on a colt," Isaacs said. "I told Paul, 'I know we talked about colts, but obviously you guys have access to the best stallions in the world, and have some of the best stallions in the world, so why don't we consider partnering on this filly to get started?' That's how it came together organically, and needless to say we've all been extremely pleased with her ability and results."

The filly was sent to Bridlewood in Central Florida where she was prepped by Thomas before being sent to Callaghan's barn on the West Coast.

"She had a monster walk at the sale and her energy level was really high," Isaacs said. "Jonathan and his staff took her through the breaking process and her early training and she really came through at the farm. You could tell she was speedy. Any sharp trainer ... once they realize they've seen the speed, the best thing they can do is try to throttle that down and save it for a later day because they don't pay to go fast at the farm. Kudos to Jonathan."

As for Moonshine Memories, who is one of three fillies by Malibu Moon pre-entered in the Juvenile Fillies, Isaacs describes her as, "medium-sized; not super big; She's very correct. I think the Unbridled's Song gives her some stamina. She looks precocious ... and she is. Sometimes that is what a 2-year-old type is ... medium-sized and fast-looking and early-looking and sound-looking."

Most everyone looks at her as the one beat. Isaacs is optimistic.

"We know it won't be an easy race," he said. "But she broke her maiden over the track and is a grade 1 winner over the track. Let's hope she does it another time next Saturday."