Malibu Moonshine remained unbeaten in three starts after rallying gamely along the inside to capture Friday’s Gin Talking Stakes for 2-year-old fillies traveling seven furlongs at Laurel Park. Ridden by Angel Cruz for New York-based trainer Charlie Parker, Malibu Moonshine, as is her habit, broke slowly from the inside post, then settled off the pace as Stonewall Star stepped the opening quarter in 23.72 seconds while attended by Gormley’s Gabriela and a three-wide Give Me Kisses. :: Bet the races with a $200 First Deposit Match and FREE Formulator PPs! Join DRF Bets. Stonewall Star completed a half in 47.46 with Give Me Kisses perched to pounce and a hard-ridden Tappin Josie commencing a three-wide bid. Tappin Josie took herself out of the race when bolting to the outside, and that left Stonewall Star and Give Me Kisses to seemingly determine the outcome. Cue Malibu Moonshine. Patiently handled by Cruz, the Bourbon Courage filly remained next to the fence, squeezed through to confront Stonewall Star, then surged past to win by 1 3/4 lengths in 1:26.86. Give Me Kisses got up for second by a head over Stonewall Star, who was a neck better than Gormley’s Gabriela. Next came Miss Georgie, Ojitos Bellos and Tappin Josie. Shes So Speightsy scratched. Favored Malibu Moonshine returned $6.20 to win. “I knew she was going to break slow,” Cruz said in a post-race interview broadcast by Laurel Park. “She was a little bit intimidated [on the rail], but when I made my move, she improved.” Bred in Maryland by Ronald Harris Parker, Malibu Moonshine is owned by Happy Face Racing Stable. The Gin Talking was her first start over fast going. Malibu Moonshine made her debut in a maiden special weight over Pimlico slop on Sept. 11, then was scratched from the Maryland Million Lassie on Oct. 22 after spiking a temperature. Malibu Moonshine then returned with a wide, rallying victory in the Maryland Juvenile Filly Stakes on Dec. 3. Heft Stakes Coffeewithchris gave jockey Jaime Rodriguez the right vibes in the paddock. “Right away when I got on, he was hopping and bouncing around,” Rodriguez said in a post-race interview broadcast by Laurel Park. “I was happy and got confident.” Coffeewithchris felt good to Rodriguez, then looked good on the track when upsetting the Heft for 2-year-olds at seven furlongs. A Maryland-bred gelding by Ride On Curlin, Coffeewithchris, broke sharply from the outside post, then pushed Full Moon Madness through fractions of 22.71 and 46.24 seconds. Coffeewithchris put away Full Moon Madness in upper stretch and always had enough to fend off race favorite Prince of Jericho. Coffeewithchris prevailed by 2 ½ lengths over Prince of Jericho, completed the distance in 1:24.96 and returned $35.60 to win. Riccio was another 4 ½ lengths behind in third. Then came Full Moon Madness, Alottacents and Midnight Trouble. We Dont Need Roads and Home School both scratched. Coffeewithchris was purchased as a yearling for $2,000 by trainer John Salzman, Jr. In his two starts prior to the Heft, both in stakes, he chased two of the best 2-year-olds in Maryland. On Nov. 12, Coffeewithchris finished fourth behind unbeaten Recruiter. Three weeks later, he finished third to Post Time. Rodriguez said Salzman told him in the paddock there wasn’t much speed in the race. With Prince of Jericho behind him, Rodriguez said he was concerned with saving enough horse to fend him off. “Once I asked him at the top of the lane, he gave everything,” he said. Coffeewithchris was bred by Thomas Rooney and is owned by Salzman, Fred Wasserloos and Anthony Geruso. He has won twice in eight starts and has earnings of $121.850. :: DRF Bets players have exclusive access to FREE DRF Past Performances - Classic or Formulator! Join today.  * Swayin to and Fro, claimed by trainer Mario Serey, Jr. and Baxter Racing Stable for $16,000 out of a maiden claiming win at Pimlico on May 26, won her third stakes race of 2022, fending off all challenges in the Willa On the Move for fillies and mares at 6 ½ furlongs. She paid $6. Ridden confidently throughout by Grant Whitacre, Swayin to and Fro, the only 3-year-old in the field, disputed the pace inside of runner-up Dontletsweetfoola through fractions of 23.01 and 46.20 seconds, then spurted clear to win by 6 ½ lengths in 1:17.59. Favored Fille d’Esprit finished fourth after a one-paced trip from midpack. * The last time Malibu Beauty ran, she battled for the lead through swift fractions in Laurel’s Thirty Eight Go Go on Nov. 12 and tired to finish behind Baby Man, Hybrid Eclipse, Berate and Champagne Toast. Those four squared off again in Friday’s Carousel for fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles. This time, Malibu Beauty was left alone up front, and Rodriguez guided her through very manageable fractions of 24.93, 49.08 and 1:13.88. She turned away Hybrid Eclipse at the three-sixteenths pole and streaked under the wire 7 3/4 lengths better than Cover Version. She completed the distance in 1:53.70 and paid $7. Favored Out of Sorts broke slowly and came up empty. A 4-year-old homebred by Buffum, Malibu Beauty is owned by Z W P Stable and Non Stop Stable. Foaled in Maryland, she is the sixth black-type earner produced by his dam, the Malibu Moon mare Slow and Steady. Malibu Beauty has won four stakes and is 8 for 25 with earnings of $503,084. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.