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Moth Ball flies to Morvich win James Cassidy and Deron Pearson's MOTH BALL (GB) (Royal Applause [GB]) entered Sunday's $100,000 Morvich H. (G3) at Oak Tree looking for his first win in more than two years, and exited with not only his first victory in the United States, but with his first graded score. Apalachee Tiger (Tiger Ridge) moved up to take the lead after the gates opened, setting splits of :21 1/5, :42 and 1:05 3/5, all the while tracked by Railroad (Double Honor) and Moth Ball. Completing their run down the hillside turf, those three showed the way in the stretch, with Moth Ball on the rail, Apalachee Tiger in the middle and Railroad to his outside. The latter runner faded badly as the rest of the field began to catch up in the stretch, leaving Moth Ball and Apalachee Tiger to battle it out to the wire. It was nip and tuck to the line, but Moth Ball managed to pull a little in front to get his neck down on the wire, finishing about 6 1/2 furlongs on the firm turf in 1:11 3/5. As the near 34-1 second longest shot in the field, Moth Ball paid $69.80, $38.40 and $15.60 to his faithful supporters. Apalachee Tiger gave way grudgingly at the end, returning $10.60 and $6.80 at 8-1, while Osidy (Storm Cat) finished another half-length back in third at 3-1, giving back $4.60. The $1 exotics were worth $384.80 (exacta), $2,684.70 (trifecta) and $11,776.10 (3-6-7-1 superfecta). Jungle Prince (Sir Cat) finished just a neck back in fourth and rounding out the order under the wire were Houseofroyalhearts (Chester House), Buckland Manor (Bien Bien), Margaritalosflores (Artax), Rebel Rebel (Ire) (Revoque) and Railroad. Captain Kurt (NZ) (Volksraad) and Terroplane (Fr) (Verglas [Ire]) were both scratched. Moth Ball earned his only other stakes win in the 2004 Rockingham S. in England and placed third in the Flame Thrower S. at Hollywood Park last season. The James Cassidy charge exited Sunday's event under Michael Baze now boasting a 22-4-1-4 record with $166,509 in lifetime earnings. He sold for $193,000 at the 2003 Tattersalls October sale, and is out of Chrysalis (Soviet Star), who has also produced an unraced juvenile filly named Traidisiunta (Traditionally).
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