Moon Rainbow tries turf in allowance route

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The promising 3-year-old Moon Rainbow makes her turf debut Saturday at Woodbine in the featured fifth race, a first-level, 1 1/16-mile allowance for fillies and mares that carries a purse of $58,600.

Moon Rainbow was bet down to 5-2 in her career debut in a seven-furlong maiden special weight race June 21, which she won convincingly after an outside stalking trip.

Moon Rainbow has been idle since her commendable second start July 12 in the 1 1/16-mile Bison City Stakes, in which she made a bid for the lead early in the stretch before flattening out to finish fourth.

Leading rider Eurico Da Silva retains the mount on Moon Rainbow, a Sam-Son Farm homebred trained by Malcolm Pierce.

An overnight stakes scheduled for Saturday failed to fill, but it carried over to Sunday. Saturday’s 10-race card includes two Ontario-sired allowances.

KEY CONTENDERS

Moon Rainbow (Beyers: 77-70)

◗ She possesses ample pedigree for the surface. The daughter of Smart Strike is out of a stakes-placed grass runner, and she’s a full sister to Wonder Where Stakes winner Smartyfly.

Secret Action (Last 3 Beyers: 78-72-65)

◗ She looked to be a serious player off a fourth-place finish in the Wonder Where, but she will be scratched after entering back Sunday as a supplement in the $100,000 Belle Mahone Stakes.

Hold the Gold (Last 3 Beyers: 73-82-86)

◗ She appeared to have considerable promise after graduating in a romp at first asking here in May 2014 but didn’t see action again until a respectable fourth in a Feb. 22 allowance at Gulfstream. She has been sidelined since a wide seventh there in a March 29 optional claimer, but trainer Brian Lynch has solid numbers with horses coming back in 61 to 180 days on turf.

Danish Princess (Last 3 Beyers: 81-64-74)

◗ She was a prominent third just a week ago in a second-level optional claimer. A wide journey worked against her when fourth as the favorite in the restricted Passing Mood Stakes on July 11.

February Rose (Last 3 Beyers: 71-76-25)

◗ Her closing third going short in the June 14 Alywow Stakes came against a group that has since disappointed, for the most part. She’s questionable going this far but isn’t out of the realm of possibility off a fourth in the Ontario Damsel Stakes.

Internal Bourbon (Last 3 Beyers: 67-69-77)

Her 2-year-old turf form was decent, and she’s dropping out of restricted stakes company to a spot where she could wake up. She stalked rapid fractions last time before tiring in the Eternal Search Stakes, which contained the subsequent allowance winners Obeah Woman and Savanna City.