Woodbine: Victoria Park stretch battle of longshots goes to Moonshine Mullin by nose

ETOBICOKE, Ontario— Moonshine Mullin prevailed in a head-bob finish over 26-1 outsider Alpha Bettor in the $152,500 Victoria Park Stakes at Woodbine Sunday.

Moonshine Mullin ($33.80) went directly to the lead under Emma Wilson, and proceeded to set slow fractions in the nine-furlong route. Three horses tracked the leader, including Alpha Bettor and the favored Kentucky shipper, Twinspired, who began to retreat exiting the far turn.

Moonshine Mullin and Alpha Better hooked up early in the stretch, and they fought it out until the finish, where Moonshine Mullin prevailed by a nose in a time of 1:51.04. Newsdad rallied for third, and Pender Harbour wound up fourth in the nine-horse field of 3-year-olds.

Wilson said Moonshine Mullin got into a good rhythm after running a bit rank in the early going.

“I was getting some comfortable splits,” said Wilson. “He relaxed a little for me down the backstretch, which I knew was going to help us down the lane. If they didn’t blow by him, I knew he was going to tough it out.”

Moonshine Mullin banked $90,000 in his first stakes score for Viking Farms Limited and trainer Reade Baker.