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Sweet August Moon keeps rising in Rancho Bernardo

Sweet August Moon (left) eclipsed Alpha Kitten (Benoit Photos) Legacy Ranch and Shirley MacPherson's SWEET AUGUST MOON (Malibu Moon) had taken a while to round into form off an extended layoff, but having found her winning groove in the July 17 A Gleam H. (G2) at Hollywood, the Brian Koriner mare followed up promptly in Sunday's $147,000 Rancho Bernardo H. (G3) at Del Mar. Wearing down even-money favorite Alpha Kitten (Tale of the Cat) after a brief stretch battle, Sweet August Moon edged away to score by three-quarters of a length. The Rancho Bernardo was reduced to four horses when Free Flying Soul (Quiet American), the 9-5 morning-line favorite, was scratched. Although Taste's Sis (Marquetry) broke sharply and held the lead in the opening strides, Alpha Kitten worked her way up along the inside to dictate terms. Alpha Kitten rattled off the initial quarter in :23 with Taste's Sis applying pressure, and Sweet August Moon perched in third for Victor Espinoza. As soon as Alpha Kitten had put Taste's Sis away through a half in :46, she was confronted by Sweet August Moon on the far turn. The two dueled down the stretch, but Sweet August Moon kept finding more and proved the stronger of the pair late. Sweet August Moon clocked 6 1/2 Polytrack furlongs in 1:16 2/5 and returned $5.20 and $2.80 as the 8-5 second choice. There was no show wagering. "She was there for me all the way around," Espinoza said. "She's handy. I could do anything I wanted with her. She ran hard at the finish, but she was going to win. For sure. Brian (Koriner) has done such a good job with her. He has her ready. When he does his job well, my job becomes a whole lot easier."

Joel Rosario, Alpha Kitten's rider, said that he called an audible when going to the lead.

"She tried hard," Rosario said. "I took the lead with her because they were going too slow. I didn't plan on being there, but that's how it came up. She gave it a good try."

Alpha Kitten held second by a half-length, giving back $2.60 and ending the $4.30 exacta ($1). Silver Swallow rallied from last for third to complete the $5.70 trifecta (4-2-5) ($1) at 3-1. Taste's Sis crossed the wire another 8 1/2 lengths back.

The five-year-old Sweet August Moon has now earned $426,396 from a line of 17-7-1-2. The dark bay mare first gained attention winning three straight during the 2009 winter meet at Santa Anita, including the Honest Lady S. and Las Flores H. (G3). She was sidelined for nearly 10 months following the latter win, however, and had placed only once in four starts this season prior to the A Gleam.

"She's back where she was at four (years old)," Koriner said. "I just hope she keeps it up.

"We're trying to get to the Breeders' Cup (Filly & Mare Sprint [G1] at Churchill Downs on November 5), and it's tough to keep a filly in form for four straight races. I think we'll go to a race at Colonial Downs for her next start. That way we'll already be in the East and won't have to ship again. We can go to Churchill Downs from there. I don't think she has trained real great here, but it worked out.

"If I'm only going to win two races in a week, these are the two that I wanted to win," the trainer added, alluding to his taking Wednesday's Green Flash H. with Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint hero California Flag (Avenue of Flags).

Bred by Maple Leaf Farm in Pennsylvania, Sweet August Moon was sold for $50,000 as a Keeneland September yearling, but attracted a $400,000 bid from Koriner as an OBS March two-year-old. She is out of the winning Royal Academy mare Silent Academy, the dam of an unraced juvenile filly named Lebo Lady (Five Star Day) and a 2010 colt by Lion Heart. Sweet August Moon's second dam is multiple Grade 3 victress Silent Turn (Silent Cal), who placed in the Beldame S. (G1), Selima S. (G1) and Gazelle H. (G1).

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