Moment of Majesty rallied from last to get up in the final strides in taking Sunday’s $113,000 Belle Mahone Stakes, at Woodbine.
Competing in her 19th career start, Moment of Majesty, with Gerry Olguin in the irons, wore down a tough Silent Moon in deep stretch to prevail in the 1 1/16-mile added-money event.
Sent of at 11-1, the daughter of Saint Liam unleashed a strong final kick to triumph by a half-length in a time of 1:45.63.
It was mutuel favourite Juanita, trained by Michael Maker, who took command from the start of the two-turn event, cutting early fractions of :25.46 and :50.27.
Olguin, who piloted Moment of Majesty to victory in June’s Zadracarta Stakes, was able to rouse the five-year-old mare into prime position, sweeping to the outside around the final turn.
“She was relaxed,” said Olguin. “I knew I had a lot of horse underneath me. I give her a lot of respect. I love her.”
Former NHL star goaltender Curtis Joseph, who co-owns with trainer Sue Leslie and hockey agent Don Meehan, was on-hand for the triumph.
“She ran terrific,” said Joseph, who won 454 career NHL games and a gold medal with Team Canada at the 2002 Winter Olympics. “Gerry rode her perfectly. Certainly, when you get a filly like this, it’s spectacular. She’s beautiful and she runs hard every time. She’ll make a fabulous broodmare one day.”
Moment of Majesty, who won the Zadracarta at odds of 16-1, came into the Belle Mahone off a strong second-place finish, at 23-1, to the highly-regarded Marketing Mix in the Grade 2 Dance Smartly Stakes on July 8 at Woodbine.
The bay now has four wins, along with seven seconds and three thirds.
Moment of Majesty paid $24.80, $9.70 and $5.30, combining with Silent Moon ($14, $8.20) for a $333 exactor. Ariana D ($3.80) completed a $1,083.50 triactor. A $1 superfecta returned $2,352.65.
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