Homebred Filly Takes Jay Em Ess to BC
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Winning a grade I stakes is a big deal for an owner. It's even bigger when the winner is a homebred.
Such was the case Oct. 4 at Belmont Park when Jay Em Ess Stable won the $500,000 Frizette Stakes (gr. I) for 2-year-old fillies with By the Moon, who was bred by Jay Em Ess' Samantha Siegel. In her previous start, the filly by Indian Charlie out of the Malibu Moon mare By the Light finished second in the Spinaway Stakes (gr. I) over sloppy going at Saratoga Race Course, where she broke her maiden in her career debut.
The Siegel family has owned 15 grade I winners. But By the Moon is its first homebred.
"It's very special," Samantha Siegel said. "It was a tremendous thrill, and the bigger the race, the bigger the thrill."
The Frizette carried "Win and You're In" status for the $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I) at Santa Anita Park.Siegel, who lives in Southern California, confirmed that By the Moon, trained by Michele Nevin, would be headed to the World Championships.
By the Light, purchased for $190,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Eastern fall yearling sale in 2006, was quite the racemare and rather precocious. In 2007 as a 2-year-old, By the Light won all four of her starts, including the $269,200 New York Breeders' Futurity against males, and the $300,000 Boyd Gaming's Delta Princess Stakes Powered by Youbet.com versus fillies.
At 3, By the Light won three stakes and, in the grade I Prioress at Belmont, finished second to Indian Blessing, champion 2-year-old filly of 2007 and champion female sprinter of 2008. By the Light was retired after two starts in 2010 with total earnings of $885,632 on a record of 10 wins, three seconds, and three thirds in 20 starts.
By the Light was trained by Richard Dutrow Jr., who is serving a lengthy suspension. Nevin, who was Dutrow's assistant when By the Light was in the stable, earned her first grade I victory with By the Moon.
By the Light won the 2007 Boyd Gaming's Delta Princes Stakes.
Siegel said there are similarities between the two horses.
"(By the Light) was an early filly, so it figured (By the Moon) would be ready early," she said. "Michele was with Rick when he had By the Light, so she's familiar (with the family). Michele said when (By the Moon) walked into the paddock it was like she had been there her whole life."
By the Moon was 24-1 in the Frizette, probably because of the presence of 4-5 favorite Condo Commando and 2-1 second choice Cavorting. But in what appears to be a wide-open division this year, they finished fourth and seventh, respectively.
Siegel said Jay Em Ess tries to keep its broodmare band to no more than 12; the stable's biggest group in recent years came in 2013 when there were 10 mares. By the Moon is the second foal out of By the Light, who produced a Tiz Wonderful colt earlier this year.