Malibu Moon sires second G1 winner in 2009

Photo: Adam Coglianese

Leading sire Malibu Moon got his second Grade 1 winner of the year – and very likely another performer for next month’s Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita – when his 2-year-old filly Devil May Care showed to be a quick study by jumping into Grade 1 company off of an impressive debut maiden win to capture the $400,000 Frizette S. on Oct. 10th at Belmont.

An attractive bay filly with a distinctive thick white blaze, Devil May Care held off favored Awesome Maria with a determined stretch drive in the one-turn mile event, hitting the wire in 1:35.07 over a fast track. The performance earned the classy filly an 89 Beyer Speed Figure. It also earned her a berth into next month’s $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1), where a win could earn her Eclipse Champion honors.

Trained by Todd Pletcher, Devil May Care remained perfect and is now a Grade 1 winner in only two starts, moving her earnings to $276,000 for owner Glencrest Farm LLC. Bred in Kentucky by Diamond A Racing Corp., she is out of the Red Ransom mare Kelli’s Ransom and is a half-sister to multiple Grade/Group 2-winning 3-year-old Regal Ransom.

“We’ve thought a lot of this filly all along,” Pletcher said. “She showed up and ran a huge race for her second time out. She never gets tired. It was a big effort. The big question (about the Breeders’ Cup) is how she will transfer her form to a synthetic surface. She certainly ran well enough to (consider) it. She was very professional for a second-time starter.”

Malibu Moon now has six graded stakes winners and 11 overall stakes winners in 2009, including his other Grade 1 winner Funny Moon. He again is leading all sons of A.P. Indy at stud by stakes winners for the fourth straight year.