TORONTO, August 15 – Moonlit Beauty, a six-year-old daughter of Perigee Moon, faces 10 rivals in the $125,000 Victoriana Stakes, set for this Saturday on Woodbine’s E.P. Taylor Turf Course.
Bred and owned by William Gierkink, Moonlit Beauty, a lifetime winner of seven races from 30 starts, will look to repeat her performance of May 27, a half-length score at the Victoriana distance of 1 1/16 miles.
Conditioner John LeBlanc Jr. likes what he sees in the chestnut mare heading into her third consecutive added-money event.
"She’s like a big Jack Russell," said LeBlanc Jr. "Whether it’s after her workouts or her races, her engine is still revved up. She doesn’t blow hard when she comes off the track…she’s still full of steam."
Moonlit Beauty comes into the race off a sixth-place finish in the Grade 2 Dance Smartly Stakes on July 8. Sent off at 44-1, the Ontario-bred finished 8 ½ lengths behind highly-regarded multiple stakes champion, Marketing Mix.
After finishing ninth in the Grade 3 Whimsical Stakes on April 22 in her seasonal bow, Moonlit Beauty reached the winner’s circle next time out before a fourth-place finish, just 2 ¼ lengths behind Moment of Majesty, in the Zadracarta Stakes on June 16.
Moonlit Beauty, who has 12 top-three finishes and $426,391 in career earnings, will now look to win her second race of 2012 in what will be her fifth start of the campaign.
"She’s tries, she likes to run and she has ability," offered LeBlanc Jr. "She’s had some pretty rough trips over time, but she doesn’t like to give in. She’s eating well and training well. It’s up to her. She doesn’t fare as well over softer turf, but she has run well on ‘good’ turf. If it does pour, everyone, including us, will have to deal with it."
While Environment Canada is calling for showers in the Toronto area on Friday, the forecast for Saturday is sunny with a high of 23 Celsius.
FIELD FOR THE VICTORIANA
Post / Horse / Jockey / Trainer
1 / Savethethought / Steven Bahen / Rachel Halden
2 / Clementis / David Garcia / Alison Crook
3 / Ayenda / Corey Fraser / Roy Jones
4 / Let’s Forget It / Justin Stein / Malcolm Pierce
5 / Posh Sox / Luis Contreras / Nicholas Gonzalez
6 / Moonlit Beauty / Eurico Rosa da Silva / John LeBlanc Jr.
7 / Baganara / Slade Callaghan / Kelly Callaghan
8 / L’Avenue / Gerry Olguin / Mike Mattine
9 / Niigon’s Princess / Emma-Jayne Wilson / Ian Black
10 / Clever Peaks / Jim McAleney / Lorna Perkins
11 / Reconnect / Jesse Campbell / Ashlee Brnjas