Filly keeps moving forward

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Moonlight Desire has improved quite a bit since she was an ordinary maiden claimer last summer, and she figures to be well-backed in Friday's Woodbine feature, a first-level allowance sprint for Ontario-sired fillies and mares.

Moonlight Desire graduated over $32,000 maidens in her eighth appearance in November, while barely beating one of her current rivals, Lookinoutforangels. In her only subsequent 2008 outing, she lost an Ontario-sired allowance by a nose after leading during most of the final furlong.

Moonlight Desire has started three times this year at this Ontario-sired classification. She launched her campaign by running fourth in a rapidly run event, and then finished a wide third when she stretched out from six to seven furlongs.

Moonlight Desire cut back to six furlongs in her latest, and wound up second to favored Blue Blood Wildcat after closing from off tepid fractions. She earned a career-high 75 Beyer Speed Figure in the process.

Tyler Pizarro retains the mount on Moonlight Desire.

Lookinoutforangels was dismissed at 31-1 when she gave Moonlight Desire a run for her money in her Nov. 16 debut. She jumped up to Ontario-sired maiden special company in her next outing, and won by daylight after mounting an eye-catching rally.

Lookinoutforangels was a non-threatening fifth behind Moonlight Desire in her lone try this year June 3, and has since breezed five-eighths in 1:00.

Cataleenda should be a major player in the 6 1/2-furlong feature.

Trained by Norm McKnight, Cataleenda has a lucrative 2-year-old campaign, during which she won her maiden by seven lengths and finished third in the restricted Nandi Stakes. She went to the sidelines after finishing 30 lengths behind eventual champion 2-year-old filly Van Lear Rose in the Sept. 1 Muskoka Stakes.

Following an eight-month absence May 6, Cataleenda checked in third in an Ontario-sired allowance, which set her up for a runner-up placing at the same level two weeks ago.

Serena's Rose had a lucrative spring campaign in 2008, during which she romped in a fast maiden special and wound up second in an allowance. She missed the second half of 2008, and wasn't an impact player in either of her starts this spring.

Extrasensory was victorious in her debut on the dirt at Fort Erie June 9, when she was claimed for $10,000 by owner/trainer Cathy McEwin.