Race conditions and tough competition led to a seventh-place finish by Celestial Moon in his stakes debut in the Grade 1 Awesome Again Stakes at Santa Anita on Sept. 30. The loss has not deterred trainer Mark Glatt from trying Celestial Moon on short rest in Sunday’s $75,000 Bull Dog Stakes at 1 1/8 miles at The Big Fresno Fair. Celestial Moon has started twice for Glatt, winning an allowance race at a mile at Del Mar on Sept. 3, the 4-year-old colt’s California debut. In the Awesome Again Stakes, run on a wet-fast track, Celestial Moon was near the front on the backstretch before fading through the stretch. :: Get ready for Santa Anita racing with DRF PPs, Clocker Reports, Picks, and more. Shop Now.  “I don’t know if it was the company or the track that wasn’t to his liking,” Glatt said. “Even if he was outclassed a little, you didn’t expect him to run as poorly as he did. “Obviously, we were disappointed. It was an off track that day, maybe a little firmer than his liking. He didn’t extend himself.” The Awesome Again Stakes included a few prospects for Breeders’ Cup races. The Bull Dog Stakes drew a field of six, consisting mostly of Northern California-based runners. “We thought it would be considerably easier,” Glatt said. The Bull Dog Stakes is the feature race on the final day of the two-week Fresno fair meeting. The program includes a mandatory payout in the 20-cent Gold Rush pick six, which covers the third through eighth races. Celestial Moon, by Malibu Moon, was a two-time winner at Aqueduct last December and in March for trainer Bill Mott. Celestial Moon was purchased for $145,000 at a horses in-training sale during the summer and is owned by the Edge Racing partnership. Celestial Moon, who will be ridden by Evin Roman, starts from post 3 and is likely to be near the front in a field that includes one other 2023 stakes winner in I’mgonnabesomebody. Both Celestial Moon and I’mgonnabesomebody tend to race near the front. I’mgonnabesomebody, trained by Bill McLean, has won three stakes at Golden Gate Fields since early September of 2022. Last October, I’mgonnabesomebody finished third of nine in the Bull Dog Stakes after a slow start and a wide trip. In May, I’mgonnabesomebody returned from a four-month layoff to win the All-American Stakes at a mile on the synthetic main track at Golden Gate Fields. I’mgonnabesomebody has lost his last four starts. In September, I’mgonnabesomebody was a good second in the Sam Spear Memorial Stakes on turf Sept. 4 as the 3-10 favorite, but only sixth of eight in an allowance race on turf on Sept. 30. McLean said earlier this week that the Bull Dog outcome will determine whether I’mgonnabesomebody remains in training this fall or is given a rest. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.