Magical Moon returns from eight-month layoff

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Al Stall Jr. was back home Sunday after an eventful few days in New York at Belmont Park, where he was supposed to run Central Banker in the Metropolitan Handicap but had to scratch the colt because of an unfortunate mix-up involving medication.

“The trip wasn’t all bad,” said Stall, who was accompanied by his wife, Nicole. “I hit a lick in the Belmont, and we ran out to beat the traffic as soon as they hit the wire. It actually ended up being a real good time.”

Now it’s back to real life for Stall and everyone else, as Churchill Downs settles into the final three weeks of its spring meet. A four-day week starts Thursday with Stall running the horse to beat in the fourth-race feature in Magical Moon, a 4-year-old filly returning from an eight-month layoff.

“Our goal with her this year is to make her a stakes winner,” said Stall. “It’s kind of unbelievable she hasn’t won one already. She’s Grade 1-placed and Grade 2-placed, so hopefully we can get that done.”

Magical Moon, with Rosie Napravnik to ride, will start from post 6 in a $54,000, second-level allowance scheduled for five furlongs on the turf. The daughter of Malibu Moon is the 9-5 morning-line favorite in a field of nine that includes one “main track-only” designee.

Magical Moon, third in the Grade 1 Alcibiades at 2 and second in the Grade 2 Beaumont at 3, has had seven workouts since returning from a lengthy vacation.

“She’s never had a thing wrong with her,” said Stall. “We’ve done everything with her old-school by giving her both winters off in Camden, S.C. I really like the way she’s come back, and hopefully we’ll get her year started with a big race Thursday.”

Magical Moon appears to have Laser Cat, Trippin’ Along, Dream Softly, and Happy Everafter as her chief threats. If the race has to be moved off the turf, then Jamaican Smoke would become a major contender by drawing into what surely would be a shorter field.

One other allowance (race 7) also is carded for Thursday, when first post is 12:45 p.m. Eastern.

Eight expected for Foster

Churchill racing officials are expecting a field of eight horses Saturday night for the Grade 1 Stephen Foster, the annual post-Kentucky Derby highlight of the spring meet.

Will Take Charge will be the 123-pound highweight in the $500,000 Foster, highlight of a Downs After Dark card that also includes the Grade 2, $200,000 Fleur de Lis, the Grade 3, $100,000 Regret, and the Grade 3, $100,000 Matt Winn.

Besides Will Take Charge, other likely starters (with weights) in the 1 1/8-mile Foster include Departing (118), Moonshine Mullin (118), Revolutionary (118), Golden Ticket (117), Prayer for Relief (117), Long River (115), and Mylute (115).

The Foster is a Win and You’re In event for the Nov. 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita.