May 10, 2016
There were lots of different ways the Grade III Day Mile Stakes could have gone but as a start to the KYD stakes program, it was only fitting that the winner came up the rail from post 1 and in Lunar Blaze, you now have a two-time stakes winner for owner Pan Farms that seems to be getting better with longer races. One of four winners from the inside post on the day, he was racing for the second time in the new barn and showed a great kick from off the pace and now boasts three career wins and earnings of nearly $280.000 from only six lifetime attempts.
The one-turn mile at CD allows horses from the outside of the gate a chance to make an early move for the lead and while Sky Heights (2.95) dropped well off the pace from post 11, Through The Tulips (10.90) moved forward from post 9 to take a brief early lead. Samurai Warrior (16.25) also moved forward to lead as the longshots led the way while Awkward Seven (30.35) was held well out of the chute with no option but to press on for the front. With a rush, past 23.38 for the first quarter-mile, the outside runner took command as Doctor Moriarty (12.30) also moved up three-wide with a wall of horses behind them and with a half-mile to run, the backfield was already in motion with eyes on the top prize. Samurai Warrior evened out along the rail and Through The Tulips stalled between rivals but Doctor Moriarty came up wide through a half-mile in a rapid 46.37 and started to close in on the longshot leader while both Red Leaf (6.45) and Lunar Blaze (15.50) held their ground in midpack, looking for room. As the field turned for home, Red Leaf looked to have the best momentum while out in the middle of the track and as the fractions slowed to six-furlongs in 1:10.05, Doctor Moriarty took a brief lead but was quickly swallowed up by that rival with really no one else coming despite plenty of room along the rail. Inside the final furlong, it really looked like a going-away win for one of the top choices but out of blue came Lunar Blaze and with nothing to stop him, he raced up the inside to nip Red Leaf right on the wire, with that rival a discouraged second and Doctor Moriarty a clear third from a charging Sky Heights, who was too far back early to make any impact. Fly Millennium (*2.45) was made the favourite but raced in midpack the entire way while Winning Barbarino (8.60) raced inside throughout and showed little. Through The Tulips stalled late, Awkward Seven backed up badly, One City (12.40) showed nothing and Samurai Warrior and Endure The Sky (71.80) completed a field that was only separated by seven-lengths in the end.
Lunar Blaze sat much closer to the pace in the Eddie Stakes at SA but used a much different tactic to post the major upset in the Grade III Day Mile on the KYD undercard, to go along with a solid second from stablemate Copper Beast in the big race. You would love to see this horse in a race like the Grade I PRK but he most likely will not get in with only those two stakes wins and a race like the Easy Goer might be perfect for him to continue his season, with plenty of lucrative races down the line away from the big guns.
Congratulations goes out to owner Pan Farms and their three-year-old gelding Lunar Blaze, an off-the-pace winner of the Grade III Day Mile Stakes at CD!
Prediction Through The Tulips / Sky Heights / Doctor Moriarty
Winner Lunar Blaze
Three-year-old bay gelding
Peppermint Moon-Hearts On Fire (Red Echo)
Owner Pan Farms
Time 23.38, 46.37, 1:10.05, 1:34.52
Overall
Lunar Blaze 15.50 midpack early, clear path inside, just up
Red Leaf 6.45 wide run into lane, looked home, caught
Doctor Moriarty 12.30 pressed into contention, evened out
Sky Heights 2.95 too far back early
Fly Millennium *2.45 even effort
Winning Barbarino 8.60 inside run throughout
Through The Tulips 10.90 no late momentum
Awkward Seven 30.35 faded in stretch
One City 12.40 no factor
Samurai Warrior 16.25 speed, tired
Endure The Sky 71.80 outrun
Triple T Racing 🙂
Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES
