Another Munnings Stakes Double

Exciting young sire Munnings has taken flight in the latter part of the season adding another stakes double to his tally at the weekend with Catalina Red (2c Munnings x Lovely Dream, by Freud) successful in the $66,000 Inaugural Stakes at Tampa and Lake Sebago (2f Munnings x Aviva’s Pride, by Borrego) taking the $100,000 Gin Talking Stakes at Laurel. Placed at his first three runs, the Chad Stewart trained colt was well favoured to break his maiden in style and did so in resounding fashion, bolting away to win the six furlong contest by more than seven lengths. “We liked his first two races on turf, but we always wanted to try him on dirt,” trainer Chad Stewart said. “I thought he should have won his last race. He had a rough trip and wasn’t levelled out really good.” The Pasco Stakes at Tampa may be next on the agenda for Catalina Red, who has won $44,680 in prizemoney. A half-brother to stakes-placed Whiskey Bravo from stakes-placed Lovely Dream, Catalina Red was a $71,000 purchase from the OBS April 2YO Sale. A last start winner at the same venue of the $100,000 Smart Halo Stakes, Lake Sebago (pictured) made it two Black Type wins in a row when she charged home to win the seven furlong Gin Talking Stakes by two lengths. The John Robb trained filly has improved with every outing and has the overall record of three wins and two seconds from five starts with nearly $159,120 in prizemoney. A modest $22,000 Keeneland September purchase, Lake Sebago is the first winner for Aviva’s Pride, a half-sister to stakes-winner Hollinger. Catalina Red is the third stakes-winner for Munnings, who has 22 winners on the board from his first first highly promising crop of two year-olds.