Moonlit Promise scores repeat win in Bessarabian Stakes

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Moonlit Promise won the Grade 2 Bessarabian Stakes for the second year in a row at Woodbine on Sunday, giving trainer Josie Carroll her third triumph in the seven-furlong sprint. She also won it in 2008 with Smart Surprise, who happens to be the dam of Moonlit Promise.

Moonlit Promise raced about four lengths off the lead on the backstretch and then commenced a wide rally on the turn. Pacesetter Kasuga began to tire entering the stretch, giving way to Silent Sonet, and Moonlit Promise caught the latter nearing the eighth pole en route to a 1 1/4-length score in 1:22.28.

Let It Ride Mom finished third, and Jessica Krupnick checked in fourth in the quality 13-horse field of fillies and mares.

Moonlit Promise, a 5-year-old daughter of Malibu Moon, gave leading rider Eurico Da Silva his 28th stakes win of the meet.

“It’s so much easier in your life when you have a good post,” said Da Silva, who began from post 10. “I was just watching the speed. In my heart, she was the best horse. I was not even concerned going a little bit outside. I made sure she had a very clean trip. She’s so nice, and she ran so hard.”

Moonlit Promise went off as the slight favorite, returning $9.60. She earned $105,000 of the $184,350 purse for Hill ‘n’ Dale Holdings Inc. and Windsor Boys Racing.

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