Impressive Keeneland Juvenile Winner for Munnings

The traditional early Keeneland meet Wesley Ward juvenile winner came courtesy of a Munnings filly on Friday when Shoot It True (2f Munnings x To The Moon Alice, by Malibu Moon) romped home by 7 ½ lengths on debut.

Shoot It True bolted from the gate in the 4 ½ furlong dirt race and quickly opened multiple lengths on the field. There was no chance for anyone to catch up to the race favorite, who kept expanding her lead.

In the stretch, jockey Tyler Gaffalione was still as a statue while his mount raced to a Thoroughbred Daily News ‘Rising Star’-earning performance.

Trained by Wesley Ward for Ice Wine Stable and Smart Choice Stable, the filly was bred in New York by Old Tavern Farm. The debut win comes less than a year after the filly sold for $340,000 at the Fasig-Tipton New York Saratoga New York-Bred Sale last August as the most expensive filly of the sale.

Shoot It True is one of two winners from three to race out of To The Moon Alice, who is a half-sister to Grade II winner Unchained Melody.

This is the same Munnings x A.P. Indy granddaughter cross as Grade II winner Scaramouche and six other stakes winners with 10 stakes performers bred that way overall.

This was the second winner on the card for Munnings, who saw daughter Roman Grace (3f Munnings x Seauxbelle, by Dynaformer) break her maiden in her second start for trainer Todd Pletcher and owners JP Racing Stable and Paradise Farms Corp.