Horses to watch: Moonlight d'Oro flashes Kentucky Oaks potential
In this biweekly series, racing analyst Keeler Johnson will share promising horses from his handicapping watch list, reviewing runners who have recently caught his eye and previewing horses scheduled to run back in the near future.
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After finishing in the money in her first two starts sprinting at Del Mar, Moonlight d’Oro took a big step forward when stretching out around two turns at Los Alamitos last Sunday. Indeed, the Richard Mandella trainee delivered a performance suggesting she will be a factor on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks this winter.
With Flavien Prat in the saddle, Moonlight d’Oro flashed tactical speed from an outside post, tracking the Bob Baffert-trained Frosteria through splits of 23.41, 47.36, and 1:11.44. Then – at the top of the stretch – Moonlight d’Oro unleashed a strong burst of acceleration, sprinting the final two furlongs in 11.78 and 12.36 to win by three lengths in 1:35.58. Frosteria, in turn, pulled 13 lengths clear of the rest.
This breakthrough victory produced encouraging speed figures of 87 (Beyer) and 94 (Brisnet). Sold for $620,000 as a yearling, Moonlight d’Oro is a daughter of Medaglia d’Oro produced by a Bernardini mare, so distances up to 1 1/4 miles should be well within her reach. Owned in partnership by MyRacehorse.com and Spendthrift Farm, Moonlight d’Oro should only continue improving and looks like an exciting filly to follow in 2021.
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There are plenty of proven stakes winners to choose from in Saturday’s ninth race at Gulfstream Park, the $100,000 Via Borghese Stakes (post time 4:12 p.m. EST). Held over 1 3/16 miles on turf, the race has drawn a deep and competitive field of nine fillies and mares, led by 2019 Gazelle (G2) winner Always Shopping and E. P. Taylor (G1) runner-up Court Return. But I would argue the most likely winner is the lightly raced and largely unheralded Great Island.
A daughter of Scat Daddy conditioned by four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown, Great Island has shown great promise in her first three starts. After finishing second in her 2019 debut behind future graded stakes winner Mean Mary, Great Island returned from an 11-month layoff to dominate a Sept. 17 maiden race at Churchill Downs, tracking the pace before pulling clear to win the 1 1/16-mile event by 3 1/4 lengths.
A month later, Great Island stepped up in class for a 1 1/16-mile allowance event at Keeneland, where she overcame a troubled run on the first turn to rally and win comfortably. The most impressive part of Great Island’s performance was her finishing speed, as she dashed home the final 5/16ths in a rapid 29 1/5 seconds to score by 1 1/4 lengths.
I’m optimistic Great Island will take another step forward while stretching out over 1 3/16 miles and drawing post nine should ensure that she receives an unencumbered trip. I believe Great Island has graded stakes-caliber talent, so I’m excited to see how she performs against tougher company in the Via Borghese.
Since transitioning from dirt to turf earlier this year, Greyes Creek has made fantastic progress under Brown’s patient care. Sold for $850,000 as a juvenile, the 4-year-old son of Pioneerof the Nile is a delicate colt whose career has been dotted by layoffs – in fact, he didn’t race at all in 2019.
But when he is sound, Greyes Creek has shown flashes of significant talent. In a one-mile maiden race June 12 at Churchill Downs, Greyes Creek unleashed a wicked finish from off the pace, sprinting the final quarter in 22.86 to win by 3 1/2 lengths. He was even more impressive in a July 8 allowance race at Keeneland, gaining four lengths down the homestretch to win by a neck. Once again, Greyes Creek displayed fantastic finishing speed, sprinting the final quarter of the one-mile race in 22.31.
Greyes Creek missed some training time in September, but he has bounced back with a series of encouraging workouts and will be difficult to deny if he brings his A-game to Saturday’s eighth race at Gulfstream Park, a 1 1/16-mile allowance optional claiming race (post time 3:41 p.m. EST). The field is large, and jockey Tyler Gaffalione will have to work to secure a clean trip from the rail post. But with a fair run, I expect Greyes Creek’s turn-of-foot to win the day, setting the stage for a potential run in the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1).
Hunka Burning Love has pretty much been a winning machine since being claimed in April by trainer Karl Broberg. The 6-year-old son of Into Mischief has gone 7-for-9 under Broberg’s care and 6-for-6 running long on dirt, most notably scoring stakes triumphs in the Lone Star Mile, Governor’s Cup, and Delta Mila. And in case anyone thinks Hunka Burning Love has been defeating easier competition, think again. In the Lone Star Mile, he conquered Sleepy Eyes Todd, who came right back to crush the Charles Town Classic (G2) by 7 1/2 lengths.
For all these reasons, Hunka Burning Love looks tough to beat in Friday’s 13th race at Remington Park, the $60,000 Jeffrey A. Hawk Memorial Stakes (post time midnight EST). With his combination of tactical speed and tractability, Hunka Burning Love figures to sit a perfect trip setting or stalking the early pace. From there, he’ll be tough to run down.