Kiss Moon preps for turf stakes on dirt Thursday
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Trainer David Vance is having a strong meet at Oaklawn Park, and the barn hasn’t even fired it’s biggest bullet yet. That will happen Thursday, when Kiss Moon launches her season in the featured eighth race.
Kiss Moon, a Grade 3 winner and earner of $532,829, is part of a seven-horse field for the optional $50,000 claiming route for fillies and mares. Her rivals in the one-mile feature include the stakes winner Cabana and Molly’s Honour.
Kiss Moon will be making a rare appearance on dirt as the Thursday race is intended as her springboard to some turf stakes, including the Grade 2, $300,000 Churchill Downs Distaff Turf Mile on the Kentucky Derby card May 7.
“We gave her some downtime, and we’re running her on the main track just because she ran so well here as a 3-year-old,” said Vance. “We need to get her going. She’s training well, and we were planning on running her once before we left here.”
Race 8
KEY CONTENDERS
Kiss Moon, by Malibu MoonLast 3 Beyers: 27-85-93
◗ Vance is headed back to Churchill Downs after Oaklawn closes April 16. He’s gone 7 for 45 with his local starters through Tuesday.
“We’ve upgraded our stock somewhat, got a couple of new clients,” Vance said. “We’re going back to Kentucky in pretty good shape – got three or four 2-year-olds coming in right away.”
But the star of the barn remains Kiss Moon, who last year won the Grade 3 Mint Julep at Churchill and the $289,000 Ladies Turf at Kentucky Downs. She is 5 and will have her final season of racing this year, said Vance, who trains the mare for Carl F. Pollard.
“This will probably be the only time she runs on the main track,” said Vance. “You never know. They change with age. She works well on the main track, trains well on the main track. We’re trying not to have her run first time out in the tough stakes.”
◗ Kiss Moon will wear blinkers Thursday.
“She had blinkers as a 3-year-old,” said Vance. “We want her to be aggressive when she leaves there. She’s not as aggressive with the blinkers off.”
◗ Alex Birzer has the mount from post 6.
“If she’s two, three wide just camping off some pace, it suits me fine,” said Vance. “She’s run her best races when she was off the pace, keeping the leader in her sights.”
Cabana, by Flatter Last 3 Beyers: 74-79-76
◗ She is a stakes winner on dirt and turf and is returning to the overnight ranks after running fifth in the Grade 3 Bayakoa on Feb. 14 at Oaklawn.
◗ Luis Quinonez has the mount for trainer Donnie Von Hemel.