Ken and Sarah Ramsey’s Moonlight Romance put forth a magical effort Saturday, tracking the early pace before blitzing home strongly to win the $500,000 Kentucky Downs Juvenile Turf Sprint Stakes.
Breaking well from the far outside 10 post as the 8/5 favorite under Jose Ortiz, Moonlight Romance stalked early leader Sovereign Impact through initial fractions of :23.20 and :47.40. Shifting out for her run to the front, the Wesley Ward trainee took command in the stretch and drew clear to win by 3 lengths in a final time of 1:17.91 for the 6 1/2-furlong event over a surface rated good.
“It was perfect,” Ortiz said. “She broke good. She was on the lead for a little bit, then the 4 horse rushed through it. I just sat off her a little bit; when I was ready to make my move, she was there for me the entire time. Nice filly.”
Moonlight Romance’s win was a nice return after finishing a disappointing 13th in the Windsor Castle Stakes at the Royal Ascot meet. The 2-year-old daughter of Liaison now carries a record of 4-2-1-0 with earnings of $358,800.
“I had a lot of confidence in her going to the Royal Ascot race,” Ward said. “Mr. Ramsey has a yearning desire to win over there, and I was second the first year we went with Cannonball. Of all the ones I ever brought since, this is the one I thought would win. There are so many things that can go wrong before, even during the race. But there was a filly that lost a shoe in the paddock, so she was walking behind the gate with 27 other horses for about 20 minutes, and she just sort of got hot and nervous, and the gate opened, and she got left at the gate, and forget it. Fortunately for us today, she rebounded and won a big purse for Mr. Ramsey, and we’re on to the Breeders’ Cup (Juvenile Turf Sprint) now.”
Moonlight Romance’s win was a nice return after finishing a disappointing 13th in the Windsor Castle Stakesat the Royal Ascot meet. The 2-year-old daughter of Liaison now carries a record of 4-2-1-0 with earnings of $358,800.
Moonlight Romance’s dam, the Malibu Moon daughter Envious Moon, was sold by South Point Sales at the 2017 Keeneland November sale. She’s expected to be offered again by South Point at the 2019 Keeneland January sale carrying a full sibling to Moonlight Romance.
“I had a lot of confidence in her going to the Royal Ascot race,” Ward said. “Mr. Ramsey has a yearning desire to win over there, and I was second the first year we went with Cannonball. Of all the ones I ever brought since, this is the one I thought would win. There are so many things that can go wrong before, even during the race. But there was a filly that lost a shoe in the paddock, so she was walking behind the gate with 27 other horses for about 20 minutes, and she just sort of got hot and nervous, and the gate opened, and she got left at the gate, and forget it. Fortunately for us today, she rebounded and won a big purse for Mr. Ramsey, and we’re on to the Breeders’ Cup (Juvenile Turf Sprint) now.”
-edited from http://www.racingdudes.com
South Point Sales & Rockbridge Bloodstock 