Hang the Moon taking fast track to Breeders' Cup start
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ARCADIA, Calif. – Two months ago, Hang the Moon was at best a moderately successful filly, with two stakes placings in her first nine starts.
Last Saturday at Santa Anita, she won her second consecutive graded stakes in the Grade 2 Rodeo Drive Stakes to earn a fees-paid berth to the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf on Nov. 2 at Del Mar.
Hang the Moon has thrived in longer races of late, winning the Grade 2 John C. Mabee Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on turf on Sept. 7 at Del Mar, and the longest race of her career in the $201,000 Rodeo Drive Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on turf.
The BC Filly and Mare Turf will be run at 1 3/8 miles and will include a field of nationally prominent and international runners. Trainer Phil D’Amato and the CJ Thoroughbreds partnership that owns Hang the Moon are ready to try such competition with their 4-year-old filly, a decision made easier without the hefty $60,000 in pre-entry and entry fees due for many other runners.
“She seems like a filly on the improve and at added distances,” D’Amato said Sunday.
“Racing against the Euros, she’ll have to take a step forward. With the added distance and the way she runs, that should help her compete with those horses.”
Hang the Moon has closed from last to win the Mabee and Rodeo Drive. She displayed a solid rally to win the Rodeo Drive by 1 1/2 lengths over Aspen Grove.
D’Amato, whose powerful stable often leads the standings at Del Mar and Santa Anita meetings, has won one Breeders’ Cup race from 32 runners – Obviously in the 2016 Turf Sprint.
Aside from Hang the Moon, D’Amato has candidates this year with Gold Phoenix in the Turf, Motorious in the Turf Sprint, and perhaps One Magic Philly in the Filly and Mare Turf Sprint.
One Magic Philly won her stakes debut in the Grade 3 Chillingworth Stakes against three rivals at 6 1/2 furlongs on Saturday at Santa Anita, her third consecutive win in her fourth start.
D’Amato was reluctant to commit One Magic Philly to the Filly and Mare Sprint on Sunday. Another option is the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes at seven furlongs for 3-year-old fillies on Dec. 26 at Santa Anita.
“We’re in no rush with her,” D’Amato said. “She’s still a 3-year-old. The La Brea is a perfect race.”
One Magic Philly races for owner and breeder John Gallegos.
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