Moonlit Promise gets first stakes win in La Lorgnette

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Moonlit Promise ($3.20) took control heading into the backstretch and never looked back to notch her first stakes win in Saturday’s $131,500 La Lorgnette at Woodbine.

Moonlit Promise set fast fractions of 23.45 seconds, 47.46, and 1:12.39 in the 1 1/16-mile test for 3-year-old fillies. She maintained a clear lead from the three-eighths pole to the wire, prevailing by 1 3/4 lengths over 16-1 shot Zermatta. Felt in Pocket finished third, and Neshama faded to trail the four-horse field after dueling for the early lead. The final time was 1:44.31.

It was the first start around two turns for Moonlit Promise, a beautifully bred daughter of Malibu Moon who was exiting a troubled second in the Duchess Stakes.

“She broke good, not great, and floated to the lead,” said winning jockey Gary Boulanger. “When [Eurico Da Silva on Neshama] took back, she had her ears up, and we waited as long as we had to, to see when they wanted to go. She’s a very nice filly. She’s pretty professional.”

Trained by Josie Carroll, Moonlit Promise earned $78,750 for Hill ‘n’ Dale Equine Holdings Inc.

“We’ve had high hopes for this filly all along,” said Carroll. “I’m just glad that [owner John Sikura] sent her back up here. Her mother ran up here and won up here. It’s kind of special.”