With The Moonlight takes Saratoga Oaks, makes Appleby's trip worthwhile
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Though he had a horse win the Grade 1 Diana Stakes here last summer, trainer Charlie Appleby himself had never before been to Saratoga.
Appleby certainly had a memorable first experience here on Sunday as he swept the weekend turf stakes for 3-year-olds capped by With The Moonlight taking the Grade 3, $700,000 Saratoga Oaks Invitational by 1 3/4 lengths.
The victory by With The Moonlight came 24 hours after Nations Pride won the Grade 1, $1 million Saratoga Derby for 3-year-old males.
“It’s great to have the winners,” Appleby said. “My first time here, thoroughly enjoyed it, it’s an amazing place. I can see why there’s been a lot of history and a lot of fun had here.”
Both Nations Pride and With The Moonlight had finished second in the Belmont Derby and Belmont Oaks last month. Appleby, based in Newmarket, England, opted to leave both horses in the U.S., and they spent the better part of that month in Saratoga.
Both horses seemed more settled pre-race than they were at Belmont and it seemed to pay off in their performance.
Under William Buick, With The Moonlight stalked the pacesetting Contemporary Art through modest splits of 24.91 seconds for the quarter, 50.14 for the half-mile and 1:15.18 for six furlongs.
With The Moonlight drew on even terms by the quarter pole and despite drifting out some in the stretch and racing her left lead, she was able to edge clear for the victory. McKulick, who had defeated With The Moonlight in the Belmont Oaks, rallied for second by a neck over New Year’s Eve.
Contemporary Art finished fourth, followed by Oakhurst. Walkathon scratched due to an ankle injury that will sideline her for the remainder of the year, according to trainer Ian Wilkes.
Appleby said that cutting back to 1 3/16 miles from 1 1/4 miles in the Belmont Oaks was key in the victory.
“Coming back half a furlong suited her,” Appleby said. “William said she’s got plenty of [speed], you could almost bring her back to a mile. The races she’s got, the more experience she’s got she’s learning how to do it.”
“Our horses coming from Europe to here, they always improve with one run on these tracks,” said Buick, who was also aboard Nations Pride.
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With The Moonlight, a daughter of Frankel, covered the 1 3/16 miles in 1:54.60 over firm ground and returned $4.30 as the favorite.
While Appleby plans to point Nations Pride to next month’s Grade 3, $1 million Jockey Club Derby at Aqueduct on Sept. 17, he will not run With The Moonlight in the Grade 3, $700,000 Jockey Club Oaks, noting the 1 3/8 miles would be too far for her.
Appleby said he needs to decide whether to send these two horses back to England or leave them in the U.S. Appleby did say the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf at 1 3/16-miles could be possible for With The Moonlight, with perhaps a race before such as the Grade 1, $600,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland on Oct. 15 as a prep.
*** Appleby confirmed that Yibir, last November’s Breeders’ Cup Turf winner, is scheduled to ship to Saratoga on Aug. 17 or 18 for the Grade 1, $750,000 Sword Dancer on Aug. 27.
Yibir bounced back from his third-place finish in the Grade 1 Man o’ War at Belmont Park in May with a victory in the Group 2 Princess of Sussex Stakes on July 7 at Newmarket.
“What we’ve seen at home, we're very pleased with the way he’s done so far,” Appleby said. “If he ships in well, he’ll be a big player.”
Appleby also said that Modern Games, last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf winner, is pointing to the Breeders’ Cup Mile with either a start at Keeneland or Woodbine beforehand.