The next Always Dreaming? Magnum Moon blows 'em away at Tampa Bay

Time will tell if racing fans at Tampa Bay Downs saw the next Always Dreaming on Thursday, but they were visibly impressed with the professional victory by Magnum Moon in the seventh race, for 3-year-olds.

Making his second start and first around two turns, the Kentucky-bred colt moved to the lead in the stretch and powered away to a two-length victory from Hyndford, with Vouch a nose back in third in the five-horse field.

The top two finishers are trained by Todd Pletcher, who used a maiden special weight victory by Always Dreaming in January of 2017 as a springboard to that colt’s Kentucky Derby victory.

Magnum Moon’s time for the mile-and-40-yard distance on the main dirt track was 1:39.18, .11 seconds off the track record. Luis Saez rode the winner, who paid $2.20 as a huge betting favorite.

Magnum Moon, who is owned by Lawana L. and Robert E. Low, had won his career debut sprinting 6 furlongs on Jan. 13 at Gulfstream Park in 1:10.03.

“I thought it was everything we hoped it would be,” said Pletcher, who watched the race from south Florida. “We’ve had high hopes for him from the beginning, since my dad (J.J. Pletcher) and Gerard Butler had him at Payton Training Center in Ocala. He was impressive in his training and just seemed to get better and better.”

Magnum Moon, a son of Malibu Moon-Dazzling Song, out of Unbridled’s Song, appeared to take another step forward today. After rating behind the leaders for the first 6 furlongs, Magnum Moon challenged on the turn and pulled away with little urging.

Saez, who rode him in his first start, said he turned in a push-button performance.

“He did everything perfect. When we came into the stretch, I put him in the clear and he took off,” Saez said. “I had so much horse, I could do whatever I wanted at that point. I never really asked him; he just did it by himself.

“He was more comfortable today than the first time,” Saez added.

Pletcher said Magnum Moon’s next start could be in the Grade 2 Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park on March 17.

“I think he made a lot of progress today. Luis gave him a good ride, was able to sit off the pace and get him to rate behind horses, get some dirt in his face and educate him in the process,” Pletcher said.

“We have the Apollo jinx working against us,” added Pletcher, referring to the fact that no horse has won the Kentucky Derby after being unraced as a 2-year-old since Apollo in 1882. “But I think he has put himself on the Derby prep trail.”