Captivating Moon ($89) ends skid, surprises in Fair Grounds Stakes

Owner-breeder Bob Lothenbach and trainer Chris Block lost their starter Saturday in the Rachel Alexandra Stakes when Charlie’s Penny was diagnosed with an injury after being entered, and had to be scratched. That unfortunate circumstance was buried under the rubble of a 43-1 bomb as Captivating Moon, a Lothenbach homebred trained by Block, posted a serious upset in the Grade 3, $150,000 Fair Grounds Stakes.

Captivating Moon and jockey Marcelino Pedroza, benefitting from a protracted speed duel between Factor This and Spectacular Gem, rallied down the middle of the Fair Grounds grass course and got home by 1 3/4 lengths over Logical Myth. Peace Achieved, who was 34-1, finished third, Set Piece was fourth, and favored Factor This held on for fifth.

Captivating Moon had been cross entered in the Fair Grounds Stakes and the Colonel Power Stakes on Saturday, Block saying earlier in the week he was leaning toward the Colonel Power, but when that turf sprint was rained onto dirt, Captivating Moon wound up in the Fair Grounds. Block, in fact, still was somewhat hopeful the Fair Grounds would be rained onto dirt, but he also felt good about Captivating Moon’s chances over a soft course.

:: Click to learn about our DRF's Free Past Performance program.

“I thought he might like this,” Block said.

Breaking from an outside post, Captivating Moon had only Set Piece behind him into the first turn and was last as the field whizzed down the backstretch, but considering the fractions, that was not a bad spot at all. Racing over a soft course, Factor This and Spectacular Gem ripped through an opening quarter-mile in 23.35 and passed the half in 48.14, too fast for the conditions. Captivating Moon already had begun gaining momentum when Pedroza steered him into the homestretch and at the quarter pole he loomed large. Racing about seven paths off the fence, Captivating Moon was going best at the furlong pole and by the sixteenth pole had struck the front, going on to a decisive, if unexpected score.

Final time for the 1 1/8 miles was 1:50.27, and Captivating Moon returned $89 to his scattered backers. The 50-cent trifecta paid $3,605.45.

Captivating Moon is a 6-year-old horse by Malibu Moon out of Appealing Storm, by Valid Appeal. He won for the fifth time in 29 starts while snapping a nine-race losing streak, the last eight of those on dirt.