Surging Harvest Moon takes Zenyatta, gains BC Distaff berth

Harvest Moon has come a long way in a short time. After upsetting Fighting Mad on Sunday at Santa Anita, the lightly raced 3-year-old filly will try to go farther still.

Less than four months after the first start of her career, Harvest Moon earned a berth in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Keeneland by defeating heavily favored Fighting Mad in the Grade 2 Zenyatta Stakes, a Breeders’ Cup Win and You’re In race.

Odds-on Fighting Mad set the pace and tired to third; Hard Not to Love was up for second while never looking like a threat. Proud Emma trailed the field of four. Hang a Star scratched.

Simon Callaghan trains Harvest Moon, a Grade 3 winner ticketed initially for the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes next week at Pimlico. After discussing options with owner-breeders Alice Bamford and Michael Tabor, Callaghan opted to stay home to face a small field and take advantage of an eight-pound weight break.

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“We felt at this stage, keeping her home and receiving the weight from Fighting Mad was the right thing,” Callaghan said afterward. “It certainly looks like a good decision now.” Harvest Moon carried 118 pounds; Fighting Mad carried 126.

Harvest Moon ($9.80) entered the Zenyatta off three successive wins – maiden, allowance, and Grade 3 against 3-year-old fillies. Although she rallied from the second half of the field in both recent wins, jockey Flavien Prat was intent on keeping Harvest Moon forwardly placed Sunday.

“We thought Fighting Mad would go to the lead and we wanted to keep pressure on her,” Prat said.

Luis Saez sent Fighting Mad to the lead. Prat and Harvest Moon stayed glued to her flank through fractions of :46.51 and 1:10.21. On the far turn, Harvest Moon ranged outside Fighting Mad, who was under a drive at the quarter pole.

Harvest Moon made the lead into the lane, inched clear and won by three-quarters of a length over Hard Not to Love, who finished three-quarters of a length in front of Fighting Mad. The final time for 1 1/16 miles was a modest 1:43.03.

Fighting Mad, favored at 2-5 based on front-running graded wins her last two starts, finished third to seemingly eliminate herself from BC Distaff consideration.

Meanwhile, Harvest Moon remains on her way up. The Uncle Mo filly will enter the BC Distaff riding a four-race win streak. She has won four of five and doubled her earnings to $240,720.

Sired by Uncle Mo, Harvest Moon was produced by Qaraaba, a Grade 3 winner for Callaghan in 2012. Qaraaba, who produced Grade 2 winner Californiagoldrush and Harvest Moon, died this year.

Beyond the addition of Harvest Moon to the prospective BC Distaff field, the Zenyatta also softens the pace complexion of the Distaff. Assuming front-runner Fighting Mad bows out, the main speed in the Distaff could be Letruska, who is nominated to the Grade 2 Beldame Stakes on Oct. 4 at Belmont Park.

The early favorites for the BC Distaff are Monomoy Girl and Midnight Bisou.

The win with Harvest Moon was the third graded stakes of the weekend for Prat. Fighting Mad’s rider did not fare as well: Saez came out of the Zenyatta 0-for-8 in graded stakes opening weekend, and is 0-for-27 in his career in graded stakes at Santa Anita. Saez was scheduled to ride C Z Rocket later Sunday in the Grade 2 Santa Anita Sprint Championship.