Eden's Moon Makes Turf Debut in San Clemente

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Photo: Benoit Photo

Eden's Moon will try turf in the San Clemente Handicap.

Making her career debut on turf, grade I winner Eden's Moon is the 121-pound high weight in an evenly-matched group of 3-year-old fillies entered for the $150,000 San Clemente Handicap (gr. IIT) at Del Mar July 22.

Trained by Bob Baffert for owner Kaleem Shah, Eden's Moon was nosed out in the Hollywood Oaks (gr. II) June 23 on Cushion Track as the even-money choice after setting the pace. The Florida-bred daughter of Malibu Moon   won the Las Virgenes Stakes (gr. I) at Santa Anita Park March 3 before finishing third in the Santa Anita Oaks (gr. I).

Her only poor finish in six starts came in the Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) when she was roughed up early and taken out of the race, finishing last.

Rafael Bejarano will be aboard Eden's Moon, who drew post 4 in the field of eight.

Baffert doesn't win many stakes on grass but he already has one to his credit at the Del Mar meet, taking the first division of the opening-day Oceanside with Midnight Crooner, a full brother to Midnight Interlude.

Eden's Moon, one of three fillies making her turf bow in the one-mile San Clemente, faces a pair of stakes winners on grass, Byrama and Indigo River, as well as grade I winner Killer Graces. The race, the main event on a nine-race card, goes as the eighth with a 5:30 p.m. PDT post.

Great Britain-bred Byrama has not been out of the money in eight starts, six of those coming in Southern California after beginning her career in England. Trained by Simon Callaghan for Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, the daughter of Byron won the six-furlong Manhattan Stakes at Betfair Hollywood Park by a neck as the odds-on pick in her most recent start June 9.

The bay filly has proven effective at two turns as well. She was second in the nine-furlong Providencia Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Santa Anita in April and third in the one-mile Senorita (gr. IIIT) a month later at Hollywood. Byrama, who gets three pounds from Eden's Moon, is to be ridden by Garrett Gomez from post 5.

Michael House's Irish-bred Indigo River has won two of three starts for trainer Jeff Mullins since transferring from her native country for the 2012 season. The daughter of Kodiac won the Sweet Life on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita in February. She has not raced since a third-place showing in the one-mile China Doll March 10.

Killer Graces was third in the Providencia in her turf debut. She returned from a 2 1/2-month absence to run fourth in the Hollywood Oaks, beaten by 4 1/2 lengths. The daughter of Congaree   has three lifetime wins for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, all coming over Hollywood's Cushion Track. They include the Starlet in December, her last victory.

Morocco Moon makes her first start in the United States for trainer Neil Drysdale after facing softer in her native England while compiling a 2-1-1 mark in four tries. The Rock of Gibraltar filly shows just one work for Drysdale, a six-furlong drill in 1:16 4/5 over Hollywood's Cushion Track July 15. Joe Talamo has the call on Morocco Moon, who races without Lasix.

Don'tgetmadalexis invades from Lone Star Park for her stakes debut on a three-race winning streak for trainer Dallas Keen. The Don't Get Mad   lass defeated an allowance optional claiming field in her turf debut going five furlongs June 23.

Oblivion, a daughter of 2003 John Deere Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT) winner Johar  , makes her first start of the year and her initial appearance on turf for trainer Carla Gaines and Desperado Stables. The bay filly won two of her first three races in 2011 but went to the sidelines after a last-place finish in the Sharp Cat Stakes at Hollywood in November.

Also making her turf debut is Open Water, coming off a seventh-place effort in the Hollywood Oaks.

$150,000 San Clemente Handicap (gr. IIT, Race 8, 5:30 p.m.), 3YO Fillies, 1 Mile (Turf)
PP. Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer
1. Open Water (KY), V Espinoza, 115, E J Guillot
2. Oblivion (KY), Y Fukunaga, 114, C Gaines
3. Killer Graces (KY), M E Smith, 118, J Hollendorfer
4. Eden's Moon (FL), R Bejarano, 121, B Baffert
5. Byrama (GB), G K Gomez, 118, S Callaghan
6. Don'tgetmadalexis (KY), D R Flores, 114, D E Keen
7. Morocco Moon (GB), J Talamo, 115, N D Drysdale
8. Indigo River (IRE), M Garcia, 117, J Mullins
 

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