Moonlight Song relishes slop in John Morrissey

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - The rain that put a damper on Thursday’s program at Saratoga put a smile on the face of trainer Charlton Baker, whose wet-track specialist Moonlight Song took advantage of the situation to register a wire-to-wire, 1 1/4-length victory over the fast-closing John’s Island in the $100,000 John Morrissey Stakes for New York-breds.

The multiple Grade 1 winner Palace stumbled at the start and did well to finish third once he recovered. Smooth Bert was pulled up on the turn and vanned off after the race.

Moonlight Song, an 8-year-old son of Unbridled’s Song, had not started since winning the Hudson Handicap at Belmont Park more than seven months ago. But Moonlight Song had already shown his affinity for a wet track, having won five of his six previous outings in the off going.

With Jose Ortiz aboard, Moonlight Song broke alertly and quickly sprinted to command, setting quick fractions of 22.03 and 45.20 seconds over the sloppy surface. Moonlight Song settled into the stretch with a comfortable advantage and was never seriously threatened, remaining clear despite shortening stride some at the end.

John’s Island finished full of run out near the middle of the track to be second, wearing down Palace, who moved within striking distance of the leader on the turn but could not muster the necessary closing response in light of his unlucky start under Cornelio Velasquez.

“Cornelio said the horse next to him was acting up in the gate and he kind of just fell out of there and grabbed himself with a hind foot,” said Palace’s trainer, Linda Rice. “He tried to recover, but you can’t give those kind of horses five or six [lengths], an easy lead, in the mud. I also don’t think Palace runs his best race in the mud either. I didn’t enter him in the race Saturday,” referring to the Grade 1 Alfred Vanderbilt, “because I didn’t want to be tempted, but when it started to rain I said ‘Damn it. I wish I had.’ That’s just racing.”

Moonlight Song completed 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:17.69 and paid $6.80.

“We were happy to see the rain. He was five of six in the slop,” said Baker, who trains the homebred Moonlight Song for Albert Fried Jr. “It was a help to see the one and three [Weekend Hideaway and Ostrolenka] come out, it meant a lot less pressure. He’s had foot problems and we took our time with him. The owner allows me to do what I want to do with him. He doesn’t put any pressure on you. He lets you run them when they’re ready to run.”