Moonlit Promise Wins Bessarabian With Driving Finish
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Photo: Michael Burns
Moonlit Promise puts in a determined drive to win the Bessarabian at Woodbine
Moonlit Promise successfully defended her title in the $175,000 Bessarabian Stakes (G2) with a stretch drive Nov. 25 at Woodbine.
The seven-furlong contest was the second stakes win of the year for the 5-year-old daughter of Malibu Moon , who now has lifetime earnings of $507,462 and a record of 8-3-2 from 18 starts.
After an even break for the field of 13 fillies and mares, Jessica Krupnick vied for the lead with Kasuga, but eventually yielded to settle in third behind Alnilah. A bunched-up pack near the front left Moonlit Promise, who broke from post 10, in seventh early on.
As Kasuga led through fractions of :22.47 and :44.59 through a half-mile, the order remained fairly unchanged. But as the field hit the halfway point in the turn for home, jockey Eurica Rosa Da Silva asked Moonlit Promise for her run, and she came five-wide into the stretch full of run to pass the leaders and win by 1 1/4 lengths in a final time of 1:22.28.
"It's so much easier in life when you have a good post," said Da Silva, who had partnered with the bay mare for her last two inside starts. "I was just watching the speed and I don't need to worry. In my heart, she was the best horse and I was not even concerned to go a little bit outside. I wanted to make sure she had a very clean trip. She's so nice and she runs so hard."
The winner returned $9.60, $5, and $4.10 across the board. Silent Sonet, who had a stalking trip in third, got to the lead briefly but faded to second to pay $7.80 and $5.50. Let It Ride Mom returned $4 to show.
Trained by Josie Carroll, Moonlit Promise won the Sept. 15 Sweet Briar Too Stakes in her only other win this season from nine starts, all in stakes company. Last year, Moonlit Promise won the Sweet Briar Too, Ontario Fashion Stakes (G3), and the Bessarabian in succession.
"She had a bit of a tough year," Carroll said. "Of her last five starts, she had the one-hole four times. She's a filly that doesn't really want to run inside so it was a really tough year for her. To see her get a decent draw where she could show what she could really do was pretty exciting."
Moonlit Promise was bred in Kentucky by Hill 'n' Dale Equine Holdings out of the Smart Strike mare Smart Surpise, and is owned by the breeder in partnership with Windsor Boys Racing.
"This is just an exciting group. They're getting a group of nice horses together," Carroll said. "John Sikura (of Hill 'n' Dale) has put them in the business and I think they're going to have a great deal of fun."