Moonlit Mission, Authentic Cowtown take statebred stakes at Thistledown
The talented Moonlit Mission is now a stakes winner in three consecutive seasons after a rail-skimming victory in the $75,000 J. William Petro Memorial Handicap for Ohio-bred fillies and mares on Thursday at Thistledown.
Moonlit Mission, a 4-year-old Shackleford filly trained by Silvano Gonzalez, was a multiple stakes winner as a juvenile in 2019, highlighted by the John W. Galbreath Stakes on the season-ending Best of Ohio showcase. Last year, she won the Tomboy Stakes and placed in three other stakes, including a runner-up effort in the Best of Ohio Distaff.
Off an allowance victory, Moonlit Mission ($5.20) was sent away as a narrow favorite in the Petro Memorial. She saved ground with a relaxed pace-stalking trip and slipped through inside of leader Tiz What in upper stretch to assume command. She dug in in the final yards to hold off rallying Best of Ohio Distaff winner Drillit, the defending race winner, by three-quarters of a length, with Cali Dream another head back in third.
The final time was 1:48.22 for 1 1/16 miles.
One race prior, Authentic Cowtown ($11.80) sprang a mild upset in the $75,000 George Lewis Memorial to kick off the statebred stakes double at Thistledown. The gelding, by Ohio sire Cowtown Cat, set the pace under Malcolm Franklin, then drove clear in the stretch to defeat favored Mobil Solution, the defending winner of the Lewis Memorial, by two lengths.
This was the second career stakes win for Authentic Cowtown, who is trained and co-owned by James McDonald. He won the Horizon Stakes last August.