By Alan Carasso
Cooey (Girvin) was all the rage from a pari-mutel perspective in Friday's eighth race from Santa Anita, but the more lightly regarded first-time starter Our Moonlight (f, 2, Tapit–Mannerly, by Unbridled's Song) confronted the odds-on choice a sixteenth of a mile from the wire and rolled home to an impressive 2 3/4-length victory to become yet another 'TDN Rising Star' for her all-conquering sire.
Off at 8-1 from a 6-1 morning line with Cooey taking the lion's share of the action at 4-5, Our Moonlight–a $325,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase–was one of the first to break the line, but Juan Hernandez was dead-set on making the front with Cooey from her inside alley and the pair headed off their rivals a furlong into the proceedings.
Between horses for the run around the turn, Our Moonlight didn't appear entirely comfortable and came off the bridle, leaving herself in a vulnerable position if she was to reel in the front-runner. Surf Song (Maclean's Music) also loomed a threat at midstretch, but by this time, Tiago Pereira had Our Moonlight in full flight and she collared Cooey with about 100 yards to race en route to a visually impressive victory.
Our Moonlight is the second high-profile winner for her dam in the last several days, as her the mare's 3-year-old gelded son Upstanding (Curlin) broke his maiden by an imposing nine-length margin going the one-turn mile configuration at Gulfstream Park Dec. 22.
Stonestreet purchased Our Moonlight's dam for $360,000 at the 2015 Keeneland September Sale and raced her to four victories and a third-place effort in the GIII Locust Grove Stakes while banking in excess of $175,000.
The 54th 'Rising Star' for Tapit, Our Moonlight is bred on the exact same cross as champion and fellow 'Rising Star' Unique Bella and on a similar cross to 'Rising Star' Scylla, whose broodmare sire First Defence is a son of Unbridled's Song. Second dam Mary Elise is a full-sister to MSW and GISP Spring Awakening, herself the dam of Tapit's Grade III winner Walk Close. Mannerly is also represented by a yearling Twirling Candy filly who fetched $42,000 at this year's September Sale and the mare was not bred last season.
8th-Santa Anita, $60,500, Msw, 12-27, 2yo, f, 6f, 1:10.45, ft, 2 3/4 lengths.
OUR MOONLIGHT, f, 2, by Tapit
1st Dam: Mannerly (GSP, $175,925), by Unbridled's Song
2nd Dam: Mary Elise, by In Excess (Ire)
3rd Dam: Catchofthecentury, by Carson City
Sales history: $325,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $36,000. Click for the Equibase.com chart and VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
O-Lawrence T Jett & Ann Jett; B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC (KY); T-Dean Pederson.
A sparkling ✨ debut for OUR MOONLIGHT 🌙 ($18.60) as she closes like a professional in the 8th at @SantaAnitaPark. The daughter of Tapit (@Gainesway) is trained by Dean Pederson, @jockeytpereira on board.
Bet the lucky last: https://t.co/2eg2m7xoYN pic.twitter.com/WVs4E8vzN2
— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) December 27, 2024
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