Moonlit Promise holds sway in Ontario Fashion Stakes

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Moonlit Promise notched her second straight stakes in just her second start of the year in Saturday’s Grade 3, $126,500 Ontario Fashion at Woodbine.

Moonlit Promise ($6.80) raced wide about four lengths off the lead on the backstretch, as Southern Ring was pressed up front by Code Warrior through quick fractions in the six-furlong sprint.

Moonlit Promise began to mount a four-wide rally on the turn, and then drew clear in the stretch before holding off a wide-closing Minks Aprise in a 1 1/4-length tally.

Code Warrior checked in third, as the favored New York shipper Stormy Victoria trailed in seventh after steadying along the rail in the stretch. Following an inquiry, Southern Ring was demoted from fourth to seventh for supposedly interfering with Stormy Victoria.

Gary Boulanger got a leg up from trainer Josie Carroll on Moonlit Promise, who covered the distance in 1:09.06. The 4-year-old daughter of Malibu Moon is a full-sister to juvenile Early Light, who notched her debut earlier on the card.

“This filly has been really good to me,” said Boulanger. “She won the [6 1/2-furlong Sweet Briar Too Stakes] first-time out of the box. She came into this race really well. I wasn’t that concerned about the cutback in distance. She’s a really nice filly. She’s impressed me all along.”

Moonlit Promise earned $75,000 for Hill ‘n’ Dale Equine Holdings Inc.