Through the first three starts of his career, all of which have ended in the winners’ circle, Moonlit Notion has reminded trainer Tim Grams about of the sophomore’s talented dam. Moonlit Song helped propel her owner-trainer into the spotlight during her sophomore campaign.

Moonlit Song, by Fiber Sonde, won 14 of 26 starts and earned over $400,000 during her career. She posted five stakes victories at age three, the last two of which came against older foes, including a win in the WV Breeders Classics Cavada.

Her son Moonlit Notion has already given Grams some early indications that he could follow in his dam’s footsteps. In addition to Moonlit Notion’s spotless record, his full-sister and Moonlit’s Song’s first foal, Moonlit Kiss, won six of 11 starts and earned over $115,000 last year at age three.

Still, Grams has tempered his expectations somewhat.

“When he was training down at two last summer, I told my wife, Judy [Grams] that this colt might be all right,” Grams said. “He’s a lot like his mom. He’s got the ability, but he was a little slow early on showing us what he could do. Moonlit Song really didn’t start to develop into something special until early in her three-year-old season. She was okay, but then she got really good. This colt here, he’s done everything that we’ve asked of him. We really didn’t do much with him to get him ready for his first start going two turns.”

While Moonlit Song settled for fourth in her career debut before rebounding to win her next start in her final outing at age two, Moonlit Notion graduated at first asking November 15 by capturing a one-turn maiden special weight dash for state-bred juveniles by nearly five lengths in 52.86 for the 4 1/2 furlongs as the solid favorite. With the final stakes too close to attempt, Grams gave the colt a brief vacation before he returned to prevail in his sophomore debut two months later on January 17.

Having won his first two starts going one turn, Grams stretched him out to the two-turn distance of 6 1/2 furlongs for his most recent outing on February 13.

Sent postward as the overwhelming 1-9 favorite with regular rider Larry Reynolds up, Moonlit Notion gained a modest advantage through the clubhouse turn, rebuffed pressure down the backside and appeared to open a commanding lead inside the furlong pole.

But he had to earn it, holding safe Flyin Mayan for a half-length tally while stopping the timer in 1:21.06.

“I really had not done a lot with him between his second and third start,” Grams said. “He acted like he would rate and be able to get the two turns and Larry said he felt he still had plenty of horse left when he reached the wire. Initially when he opened up a little bit I thought he might draw off. But Larry never really got after him and he got the job done on his own. But for the first time going two turns, I really had not trained him any differently.”

Moonlit Song finished second in her sophomore debut then reeled off five straight victories, including a pair of stakes. She later added three more stakes scores to her resume during a stellar three-year-old campaign. That’s a gaudy resume, and Grams was hesitant to assume Moonlit Notion would readily duplicate his dam’s success.

“When Moonlit Song started to get really good, she just did everything so easily and you could tell she loved racing,” Grams said. “That’s common for three-year-old fillies; once they get good, they can be really good and she beat older horses a few times. I’m definitely pleased with what this colt has done. I’ll probably look for another allowance race for him next month and then try him in the Coin Collector Stakes. It will be a tough spot because there’s some nice state-bred three-year-olds out there and I’ll have to cut him back from two turns to one, and sometimes that’s a lot to ask.”