Appleby opts for New York Stakes over Just a Game for With the Moonlight
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ELMONT, N.Y. - Looking to avoid another meeting with In Italian, trainer Charlie Appleby said Thursday that With the Moonlight would be pointed to the Grade 1, $600,000 New York Stakes rather than the Grade 1, $500,000 Just a Game. With the Moonlight was nominated to both races, which are scheduled for June 9 at Belmont Park.
With the Moonlight has won at both the mile distance of the Just a Game and the 1 1/4 miles of the New York. In her one meeting with In Italian, With the Moonlight was a clear second behind her in the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley going 1 1/16 miles at Keeneland on April 15.
“In Italian beat us fair and square and it would be hard to reverse the form at a mile,” Appleby said. “Needless to say, we will go for the mile and a quarter which is our preferred option anyway. She’s proven over that trip.”
With the Moonlight won the Pretty Polly Stakes at Newmarket at 1 1/4 miles in May 2022. She then came to the U.S. and finished second to McKulick in the Belmont Oaks here before winning the Saratoga Oaks at 1 3/16 miles.
With the Moonlight is coming off a seventh-place finish in the Group 2 Howden Dahlia Stakes at Newmarket on May 7. That race was run over soft ground, not With the Moonlight’s preferred surface.
With the Moonlight arrived in New York last weekend along with Silver Knott, who is running in Saturday’s Grade 2 Pennine Ridge, and Siskany who is running in next Friday’s Grade 2, $250,000 Belmont Gold Cup at two miles.
Appleby calls Siskany “a proper two-mile horse. He stays, but he’s got pace as well.”
That trio joined their Appleby stablemates Ottoman Fleet and Warrant Point, both of whom have already run once here and both of whom are pointing to the Grade 1, $750,000 Manhattan on June 10.
Ottoman Fleet won the Grade 2 Ft. Marcy going 1 1/8 miles on May 6 while Warren Point finished fifth, beaten only 1 3/4 lengths by Red Knight in the Grade 1 Man o’ War on May 13.
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