Moonlit Garden leads all the way in Summer Colony

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - The well-traveled Moonlit Garden successfully took her road show to Saratoga on Sunday, leading throughout under Jose Ortiz to register a 1 1/2-length victory over A Place to Shine in the $100,000 Summer Colony Stakes.

Saratoga became the sixth different track Moonlit Garden has visited in her last six starts dating back to a third-place finish in a maiden race at Oaklawn Park on Feb. 8. The 4-year-old daughter of Malibu Moon has come a long way in a short time since, finally earning her diploma at the Fair Grounds in March before winning an allowance race at Keeneland the following month. She became stakes-placed in her most recent start, on June 30, at Monmouth Park.

Moonlit Garden broke alertly for Ortiz and wasted little time establishing a clear lead, shook off early pursuer Nomorerichblondes before six furlongs, settled into the stretch with a commanding advantage and was never seriously threatened thereafter. A Place to Shine trailed for more than six furlongs, advanced to closer contention into the stretch, but was no match for the winne. She was easily second-best, finishing 3 1/2 lengths in front of Forever Liesl.

Awestruck, the 8-5 favorite in the five-horse field of older fillies and mares who had not won a stakes in 2018, finished fourth with Nomorereichblondes eased to the wire in her U.S. debut.

Moonlit Garden is owned by Town and Country LLC. She completed the 1 1/8 miles over a fast track in 1:50.02 and paid $6.30.

“We weren’t planning on making the lead, but they gave it to her so easily,” trainer Christopher Davis said. “When they gave it to her with those kind of fractions, it was great. I told Jose ‘do what you do, you’re the man here.’ ”

Davis said mental maturity is the reason for Moonlit Garden’s sudden emergence.

“She was always a really big, strong horse, but mentally she was always behind and she needed her mind to catch up with her body,” Davis said. “It’s really starting to click, especially since she won her first race, she’s really just been going up and up and up.”