William Gierkink’s Moonlit Beauty captured Sunday’s $100,000 Belle Geste Stakes at Woodbine.
The seven-furlong event, taking place over a ‘good’ E.P. Taylor Turf Course, was the five-year-old mare’s first win since a triumph in last year’s Zadracarta Stakes.
Under Eurico Rosa da Silva, Moonlit Beauty took charge from almost immediately, taking the field through early fractions of :23.52 and :47.22. As the six starters straightened for the long stretch drive home, the chestnut was able to easily keep her rivals at bay to win by 2 ½ lengths. Forest Uproar was second, besting Moment of Majesty by a neck.
Moonlit Beauty stopped the clock in 1:24.15.
“She did very well,” said da Silva. “She was very, very relaxed and very happy there. She enjoyed herself. She did a great job and I’m very proud of her.”
Last year, Moonlit Beauty reeled off three wins and one second from seven starts. She came into the Belle Geste off a sixth-place finish on May 20 and a troubled tenth-place effort in the Zadracarta on June 18.
“I was a little worried,” said trainer John Le Blanc, Jr., who had front wraps on Moonlit Beauty. “She wrenched herself in her last race and got bounced around pretty good. When we had that big downpour (today), I was worried about slippery conditions. It was a last-minute decision, but she seemed to handle it well.”
The daughter of Perigee Moon now has six wins, along with 10 top-three finishes, from 23 starts.
Moonlit Beauty returned $13.30, $5 and $3.30, combining with Forest Uproar ($2.50, $2.10) for a $33.40 exactor. Moment of Majesty ($2.50) rounded out an $80.40 triactor.
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