Hang The Moon Wins G2 John C. Mabee

Already a stakes winner, Hang the Moon (4f Uncle Mo x Moondance, by Malibu Moon) went even better on Saturday with a win in the Grade 2 John C. Mabee Stakes.

Trained by Philip D’Amato for CJ Thoroughbreds, the Uncle Mo daughter broke well in the 1 1/8-mile turf race before settling in the back of the pack with just one horse beaten. Racing down the backstretch, Hang the Moon conceded her spot and took up duties as the back marker until the stretch run.

Racing just behind the leader in the final furlong, she waited for a hole to open and when it did, she hit another gear. The filly got up just in time to win by half a length for her fourth career victory.

“She came to me to run in these kind of races and I thought she just improved from race to race,” D’Amato said. “She ran a really good second to Ag Bullet last time and Ag Bullet came back and won a million-dollar race at Kentucky Downs, so I think she was a little overlooked here. She showed a really nice turn of foot to beat a couple of Grade I winners today.”

Bred by Repole Stable, Hang the Moon is one of three winners from three named runners out of the winning Moondance. That mare is full sister to Grade II placed Cue the Moon and half-sister to multiple stakes winner Red Hot Buddha and stakes placed Knockout Bertie.

This is also the family of Grade I winner Beach Patrol and Grade II winners Hurricane Bertie and Allamerican Bertie.

Uncle Mo is the sire of 12 stakes winners this year, with six graded stakes winners – both putting him in the top seven among all North American stallions.