Moonshine Memories definite for Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies
Trainer Simon Callaghan was pondering paths that lead to the $2 million 14 Hands Winery Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies soon after Moonshine Memories won Saturday’s $300,000 Grade I Del Mar Debutante.
The daughter of Malibu Moon prevailed over 12 rivals just two weeks after a victory in her career debut here.
Callaghan, who recorded his fifth career Del Mar stakes victory, said that a search for a reason not to run in the meeting’s premier event for 2-year-old fillies was in vain. Now the decision will be whether to race again, in the Chandelier Stakes at Santa Anita on September 30, or train her up to the Breeders’ Cup event.
“She loves the track, that’s (Breeders’ Cup) the goal and I wouldn’t mind just waiting for that,” Callaghan said. “Maybe a race in between, but we’ll see.”
The Breeders’ Cup future isn’t as cut-and-dried for Cambodia, who followed up an August 5 win in the 1 1/16-mile Grade II Yellow Ribbon Handicap with one in Saturday’s 1 1/8-mile John C. Mabee Stakes.
The Mabee was contested over the same course and distance as the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf.
“I understand that,” said owner/breeder Don Robinson. “She did pass the test.
“We never thought we had a Breeders’ Cup filly, but she likes this track a lot and I’ll leave it up to (trainer) Tom Proctor. She has been steady running all year (seven starts) and Tom gives her lots of time and kindness and she’s thriving.
“If she’s happy and sound, the sky’s the limit.”
PRAT GETS A GRIP ON JOCKEY RACE; TRAINER TITLE DOWN TO THE WIRE
Jockey Flavien Prat, riding for the first time during the final week of the meeting, recorded four wins on Saturday’s 11-race card to break a tie with Rafael Bejarano and apprentice Evin Roman.
Prat won the fourth (Coils Gold, $8.20), fifth (Solomini, $4.00), Del Mar Debutante seventh (Moonshine Memories, $13.40) and eighth (St Patrick’s Day $3.60) to open a four-win advantage over his closest pursuers. Bejarano managed to get one back aboard Ice Cat ($8.40) in the nightcap for trainer Richard Baltas.
Prat’s burst, with two days remaining in the meeting, assured that the jockey title wouldn’t be won with a total in the 20-win range for the first time since Jimmy Nichols prevailed with 29 wins in a 41-day session in 1948.
Prat has eight mounts on Sunday’s 10-race card, Bejarano five and Roman nine.
Prat missed the Wednesday and Thursday cards while serving the final two days of a three-day suspension. He was excused from one mount on Fridaywhen travel problems delayed his return from a family matter in his native France.
Baltas retained a one-win lead (17-16) over Phil D’Amato in the trainer standings by virtue of Ice Cat’s 11th-race victory Saturday. D’Amato had drawn even when he saddled Spin Me a Kiss ($9.60) to win the third race.
Baltas has four horses entered Sunday, D’Amato has seven.
Source: Del Mar Thoroughbred Club