Grade 1 winner By the Moon found the class relief to her liking in today’s Caesar’s Wish Stakes at Laurel Park. Photo by Jim McCue, Maryland Jockey Club.
From a Maryland Jockey Club release
Jay Em Ess Stable’s homebred By the Moon, winner of the Frizette (G1) last fall, returned to the winner’s circle Saturday when she drew away from six other 3-year-old fillies to win the $100,000 Caesar’s Wish Stakes at Laurel Park by four lengths.
Trained by Michelle Nevin and ridden by Victor Carrasco, By the Moon covered a muddy mile track in 1:38.20. The daughter of Indian Charlie has now won three of six starts and $485,000. Been Here Before was second and Wide Country Stakes winner Gypsy Judy was third.
By the Moon returned $3.80.
Coming into the Caesar’s Wish off a fifth-place finish Jan. 24 in the Forward Gal (G2) at Gulfstream Park – her first start finishing eighth Nov. 1 in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) – By the Moon was rated just off a :24.55 and :48.79 pace set by Country Mamma before taking the lead around the turn and drawing off down the stretch.
“I thought the key to the race was to sit behind (Country Mamma) and wait,” Carrasco said. “I was waiting on (Horacio) Karamanos (on Gypsy Judy), but I didn’t see him. I waited as long as I could, and off the turn it was time to go. She finished up real well.”
Said Larry Kelly, assistant to Nevin; “You never know what you are going to run into with the weather. The cooler weather really picked her up. In order to move forward in some of these big races, she is going to have to handle two turns. But I really don’t see it as a problem. She is bred for it.”
