Full brothers to tangle in Hollie Hughes

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – A field of 11 New York-bred sprinters was entered for Monday’s $100,000 Hollie Hughes Stakes, including full brothers Towering Moon and Escape to the Moon.

Towering Moon, 7, and Escape to the Moon, 6, are both geldings by Malibu Moon out of the Giant’s Causeway mare Towering Escape.

Though both began their careers running for owner-breeder Al Fried and trainer Bruce Brown, Towering Moon was claimed last May for $50,000 by Rudy Rodriguez. The two geldings faced each other at Saratoga, with Escape to the Moon beating Towering Moon by a neck at seven furlongs.

In his last three races, Escape to the Moon has a win and two seconds. On Dec. 26, he finished second to Sassicaia, who came back to win the Grade 3 Toboggan Stakes on Jan. 30.

Brown said Escape to the Moon might be better suited to the inner track and the six furlongs of the Hollie Hughes than Towering Moon.

“Our horse might be more of a three-quarters kind of horse,” Brown said, adding that Towering Moon “seems more like a closing sprinter, and seven furlongs is probably his best distance.”

The Hollie Hughes field ballooned to 11 horses in part due to the uncertainty of Saturday’s racing program due to cold weather. Ostrolenka and West Hills Giant, both entered in Saturday’s Haynesfield Stakes, were cross-entered in the Hollie Hughes.

Others entered in the Hollie Hughes were supplemental nominees Possessed and Drama King as well as original nominees Between the Lines, Bond Vigilante, Crafty Dreamer, Eye Luv Lulu, and Marriedtothemusic.