NEWS
Luna Vega swoops to first stakes win in Molly Pitcher
Posted: Sunday, August 30, 2009 6:48 PM
LUNA VEGA
Jessica Denver/EQUI-PHOTO
To view a video replay of the Molly Pitcher Stakes, click here.
by Tom De Martini
Millennium Farms’ Luna Vega captured her first stakes victory on Sunday at Monmouth Park, drawing off in deep stretch to record a 1½-length win over Spritely in the $223,000 Molly Pitcher Stakes (G2).
The four-year Kentucky-bred Malibu Moon filly broke last in the field of six at odds of 5.50-to-1 and rated well off a contested early pace under Monmouth’s leading jockey Elvis Trujillo.
Stakes winners Jessica Is Back and Devil House dueled through a half-mile in fractions of :23.37 and :47.14 while Trujillo bided his time and guided Luna Vega to the outside while under a snug hold.
Luna Vega swooped past the tiring pacesetters on the far turn and challenged multiple Grade 2-placed stakes winner Spritely in a stretch-long battle before drawing clear in the final 70 yards. She completed 1 1/16 miles in 1:41.91 on a track rated as fast.
“At the three-eighths pole, I just eased her out. It was an easy race,” Trujillo said.
Trainer Steve Asmussen returned the filly to Monmouth, where she was victorious in a June 25 optional claiming race with Trujillo aboard. She subsequently finished sixth behind Seventh Street in the Go for Wand Stakes (G1) on August 2 at Saratoga Race Course.
“Steve said there would be enough speed in the race and when I saw that first quarter, I was very happy,” said Bill Wilson, assistant to Asmussen.
Devil House was seven lengths behind Spritely for third. Jessica Is Back held on for fourth by a length over Grade 3 winner Euphony, the 1.70-to-1 favorite.
The Molly Pitcher was Luna Vega’s fourth win in 14 career starts with three seconds and one third. The $120,000 winner’s check bolsters her total earnings to $227,692.
Bred by Marshall Thoroughbreds and out of the stakes-winning Rock Royalty mare Donnavega, Luna Vega was a $67,000 purchase at the 2006 Keeneland September yearling sale.
For an Equibase chart, click here.
Tom De Martini is a New Jersey-based THOROUGHBRED TIMES correspondent
