Hang The Moon Worst To First In WAYI Rodeo Drive

[Wandering Eyes]

She looked to have it all to do entering the final three furlongs of Saturday's GII Rodeo Drive Stakes, a Breeders' Cup qualifier for the GI Filly and Mare Turf down at Del Mar in four weeks, but HANG THE MOON (f, 4, Uncle Mo–Moondance, by Malibu Moon) kicked it in approaching the stretch and outfinished the rail-skimming Aspen Grove (Ire) (Justify) to cause a 9-1 upset. Iscreamuscream (Twirling Candy), last-out winner of the GI Del Mar Oaks and favored at 3-2 while facing her elders here, led them along after some wayward ways across the dirt and took the field into the first turn, but failed to corner, going in basically a straight line at the first corner and carrying 'TDN Rising Star' Be Your Best (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}) well out into the track. Lucky Girl (Ire) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) kicked up at the fence and took over at the head of affairs and pinched a sizable advantage down the backstretch, but Kazushi Kimura had the recent winner of the GII John C. Mabee Stakes nice and relaxed, saving his filly for a finish. Lucky Girl led the Rodeo Drive field into the final two furlongs, but Kimura had gone for Hang The Moon at the five-sixteenths, and they closed fast on the grandstand side. Aspen Grove rallied nicely at the fence, but Hang The Moon had slightly the better finishing kick and was along for the upset. Sales history: $200,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 12-5-1-1. O-CJ Thoroughbreds; B-Repole Stable (KY); T-Phil D'Amato.

 

#6 HANG THE MOON ($21.80) closes strongly to win the $200,000 Rodeo Drive Stakes (G2) at @santaanitapark & guarantees herself a spot in the @BreedersCup Filly & Mare Turf.@kazushi0096 rode the 4YO Uncle Mo (@CoolmoreAmerica) filly for @PhilDamato11 and @CJThoroughbreds. pic.twitter.com/Ofc0ydsEpu

— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) October 5, 2024

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