CHAMPION FEARLESS MOON SCORES HER FIRST STAKES WIN IN SOUND DASH
Gentry Farms’ Fearless Moon, the 2023 AQHA champion 3-year-old filly, is finally a stakes winner after a thoroughly dominant performance in the running of the $35,000 Sound Dash Stakes on Saturday at Los Alamitos.
Ridden by Martin Arriaga for trainer Juan Aleman, Fearless Moon led every step of the way, crossing the wire 2 ¼ lengths ahead of multiple stakes winner Frivolous, who finished second. The win was Fearless Moon’s fifth in 16 career starts while also officially making her a stakes winner. The 4-year-old Kentucky homebred by First Moonflash had a tremendous record even before this win. Her list of accolades included seven Grade 1 stakes appearances and top three finishes in last year’s Rainbow Oaks and All American Oaks and in this year’s Charger Bar Handicap.
Along with her second-place finish in the All American Oaks and third in the Rainbow Oaks, Fearless Moon was also fourth in the Los Alamitos Super Derby. Her strong efforts at the Grade 1 level earned Fearless Moon the title as the nation’s top sophomore filly last year. Now the champion is also a stakes winner.
“It feels great,” said Aleman after seeing Fearless Moon win the Sound Dash. “We’ve been pointing her for these kinds of races all year long. We didn’t have luck in the Mildred Vessels (on September 14). She got boxed in a little bit, but she showed that she’s one of the top mares here running. We’ll see what we got coming up next for her.”
Racing from post number two in this field of 10, Fearless Moon covered the 350 yards in an excellent clocking of :17.405. She also holds the meet’s fastest time at this distance when winning an allowance event in :17.35 on July 14. Aleman has two possible spots for Fearless Moon next.
“We’re thinking either the Las Damas (on November 16) or maybe the Z. Wayne Griffin Directors Trial (on November 17).”
With a big effort in the Z. Wayne, Fearless Moon could earn a berth to the Grade 1, $600,000 Champion of Champions. Fearless Moon earned $19,250 to take her career earnings to $438,672.
Clanfield Act Stables’ Frivolous earned $7,875 for her runner-up effort. Ridden by Henry Reynoso Lopez for trainer Felix Gonzalez, Frivolous has won the Governor’s Cup Futurity and Dashingly Stakes here. PV Quarter Horse Farms’ Jess Call Me Candy earned $4,375 for running third. R Ladys Dynasty, Remember Her, Wise Lady Dawn, Forever Dynasty, Budder Off Friends, AJ Born Runnin and Rockin With Energy completed the field.
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