Moonist tries to follow in sire’s footsteps in Golden State Derby

CYPRESS, Calif. – Race by race this summer, Moonist is matching the accomplishments that his sire, Separatist, achieved in 2000.

Last month, Moonist won the Governor’s Cup Derby, and he followed Aug. 10 with a win in a time trial for the Golden State Derby. On Sunday, Moonist will be favored to win the $227,600 Golden State Derby. Separatist won the Governor’s Cup Derby and Golden State Derby and was later named champion 3-year-old colt and overall champion 3-year-old of 2000.

Whether Moonist can claim a year-end title depends on the results of Sunday’s race over 400 yards and events in the coming months. What seems certain to trainer John Cooper is that Moonist thrives on activity.

“Most of them won’t, but he does, and his dad was the same way,” Cooper said.

The Golden State Derby will be Moonist’s eighth start of the year and his fourth since July 13. Moonist was fourth in the Los Alamitos Winter Derby in February and won the El Primero Del Ano Derby in April. His success this year is a change from his 2-year-old form in 2013, when he often failed to run straight and qualified for one major race, finishing second in the Governor’s Cup Futurity.

“He’s always been able to run, but he couldn’t hold together,” Cooper said. “He’s figured it out.”

KEY CONTENDERS

Moonist

◗ Owned by Ron Hartley, Moonist has won 10 of 17 starts and earned $295,506.

◗ In the Golden State Derby time trials, Moonist had the second-fastest qualifying time of 19.55 seconds. Dimes and Nicks had the fastest time of 19.53 seconds.

◗ Moonist won his trial race by 1 1/2 lengths under jockey Cesar DeAlba. The style of the win meant more to Cooper than the final time.

“I don’t go so much on time,” Cooper said. “When you’re by yourself, you’re not getting crowded.”

Dimes and Nicks

◗ Trained by Eloy Navarro, Dimes and Nicks was ninth in the El Primero Del Ano Derby behind Moonist in April. He was third in an allowance race in June before scoring a 9-1 upset in a division of the trials.

◗ Dimes and Nicks was helped by the draw. In his three career wins, he has started from the outside two post positions. On Sunday, Dimes and Nicks breaks from post 8, with Moonist on the far outside.