William Gierkink’s Moonlit Beauty went wire-to-wire to take Saturday’s $126,200 Victoriana Stakes at Woodbine.
The head victory was the Perigee Moon mare’s eighth career score from 31 starts and first added-money win since taking last year’s Belle Geste Stakes.
The six-year-old chestnut, with Eurico Rosa da Silva in the irons, broke well and immediately took the lead in the 1 1/16-mile turf feature, as the mutuel favourite led the field through an opening quarter-mile in :23.91 and a half in 47.22.
Reconnect, who took last year’s La Prevoyante Stakes at odds of 70-1, rallied stoutly to finish second, with Let’s Forget It taking third.
Moonlit Beauty, trained by John LeBlanc Jr., travelled the distance in 1:41.85 over a ‘firm’ E.P. Taylor Turf Course.
“I talked to John and we were going to play it by ear,” said da Silva, in regard to their racing strategy. “Today, she broke sharply and she was very focused. She tries so hard from the beginning to the end.”
LeBlanc Jr. was thrilled with the game effort Moonlit Beauty displayed.
“She’s always been a lot of fun and tries really hard,” said the conditioner. “I give the crew a thumbs-up. They’ve done an awesome job.
Moonlit Beauty paid $4.50, $2.90 and $2.50, combining with Reconnect ($4.40, $3.50) for an $18.20 exactor. Let’s Forget It ($5) completed a $117.90 triactor. A $1 superfecta returned $215.
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