Blu Moon Ace triumphs in Timonium's first stakes since 2008

Blu Moon Ace won the first stakes race run at Timonium, in Maryland, since 2008 Saturday, when he darted home by 3 1/2 lengths over Struth in the $97,500 Coalition.

It was another 4 1/2 lengths back to Rockinn On Bye in third.

The Coalition was an about 6 1/2-furlong race for 3-year-olds and up. It was run around two turns on the five-eighths-mile track at Timonium.

Blu Moon Ace ($4.80), who was claimed for $30,000 out of his last start, won the first stakes race of his career in the Coalition. He was prominent from the start under Gerald Almodovar, taking the field through an opening quarter in 22.82 seconds while pushed along by Formal Summation. Blu Moon Ace increased his advantage through a half-mile in 45.85 and six furlongs in 1:10.20 before going on to cover the distance on a fast track in 1:15.28.

Blu Moon Ace was claimed out of a winning effort in an optional $30,000 claiming race July 20 at Delaware Park. He earned $60,000 for his victory in the Coalition to improve his career record to six wins from 19 starts for earnings of $267,294.

Blu Moon Ace is a 4-year-old son of Malibu Moon and was bred in Maryland by Howard Bender. Blu Moon Ace races for Robert Cole Jr., and is trained by Kevin Patterson.