Wambui in sharp form for New Moon Stakes

Wambui had a perfect winter campaign disrupted by a second-place finish in the Denim N Diamonds Handicap for fillies and mares at Los Alamitos on Feb. 20.

Wambui won two allowance races in December and January and was beaten a half-length by Kiss Thru Fire in the Denim N Diamonds. Kiss Thru Fire was the heavy favorite in that race based on a January win in the $100,000 Charger Bar Handicap.

Wambui, 4, has yet to win a stakes, and will have her third appearance in a race at that level in Sunday’s New Moon Stakes for fillies and mares at 330 yards at Los Alamitos. Trained by Scott Willoughby for Los Alamitos track owner Ed Allred, Wambui has won 4 of 14 starts.

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The New Moon Stakes drew a field of five, including the third, fourth, and sixth-place finishers in the nine-runner Denim N Diamonds – Victorioso Dinastia, All Prettied Up, and Fayvorite Chick.

Victorioso Dinastia, third to Wambui in a 350-yard allowance race on Jan. 5, drew the rail in the New Moon. Victorioso Dinastia was a game second in the Mildred Vessels Handicap last September, the track’s top race for older fillies and mares.

Fayvorite Chick was second in the Cypress Handicap against males on Jan. 15 and was bumped at the start of the Denim N Diamonds.

All Prettied Up, the winner of the California Breeders’ Debutante Stakes last July, was fifth in the minor First Day of Spring Stakes against a tough group of older males at 350 yards on March 20 in her only start following the Denim N Diamonds. Mental Error, who won the First Day of Spring Stakes, was second in the $1.02 million Los Alamitos Super Derby last November.

The four runners from the Denim N Diamonds are joined in the New Moon Stakes by Ms Ko, a 5-year-old mare who has not raced since September 2018. Ms Ko, trained by Jesus Nunez, was third in the Kindergarten Stakes in May 2018.