Moonshine Mullin

Moonshine Mullin

Owner: Viking Farms Limited
Trainer: Reade Baker
Record: 9-2-2-1

PROFILE

By Ron Gierkink

STRENGTHS

He went over the surface beautifully in his first dirt race in the Jim Dandy Stakes, earning a 99 Beyer Figure for running second after a lovely ground-saving trip. "He's very mature for his age," said regular rider Emma-Jayne Wilson. "I was pretty confident that he'd handle the dirt, and he handled everything very well at Saratoga. It's almost like he's done all this before. Nothing seems to shake him up, and he keeps his composure so well. I think the mile and a quarter will be just fine. He won on the lead when there was a really slow pace in the Victoria Park Stakes, and he was able to sit behind the leaders and then come on running when the pace was quicker last time."

WEAKNESSES

He could regress a little off that career-best performance in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy. He went back to Woodbine after the race, and sometimes shipping around in the hot summer weather is detrimental to some horses. He has never carried more than 121 pounds and will have to tote 126 in the Travers, a weight that some of his rivals have already carried.

VALUE

He was the 37-1 outsider in the Jim Dandy and figures to be among the longer shots in the Travers. Don't accept anything less than 30-1 if you fancy him a little, and consider him for the bottom of vertical wagers.