Moonlit Song is back – and back on top

File photo of Moonlit Song by Coady Photography.

by Frank Vespe

Any questions about how nearly five months between races would affect Moonlit Song were answered pretty definitively last night in Charles Town’s third race, a $24,000 allowance dash.

Not much at all.

The four-year-old Fiber Sonde filly made her first start since November Wednesday night in a 4 1/2-furlong sprint, and she picked up exactly where she left off when last seen at Charles Town: dominating her rivals as the overwhelming favorite.

Under Christian Hiraldo, Moonlit Song stalked the early pace of longshot Party N the Palace before blowing past that rival and romping to a 3 3/4-length win in a sharp 52.69 seconds in the race, which was limited to fillies and mares that had never won two races excepting West Virginia-bred races. That was a fifth of a second faster than two-other-than distaffers navigated the distance later on the card.

Moonlit Song’s stablemate, Remy’s Rocket, got through along the rail, a length and change ahead of Party N the Palace, who held third. Moonlit Song paid $2.40 to win as the 1-5 favorite in the field of six runners, and the $1 exacta returned $4.30.

Trained by Tim Grams, Moonlit Song was bred and is owned by Grams and his wife Judith. Moonlit Song has won 10 of 14 starts in her career and earned $263,290. Logical next spots for her could include either the April 21 Dance to Bristol Stakes, a $100,000 open event going seven furlongs, or the $50,000 Fancy Buckles for state-breds May 19.