Baba Booyah rallies in Moonbeam Handicap

Baba Booyah bided her time behind a clear-running pace setter and took over in the stretch to win Saturday’s $20,000 Moonbeam Handicap at Pinnacle Race Course.

The four-year-old Daylight Savings filly sat in second as Equalitysdebutante launched out to an early and sizable advantage. The leader had a length on Baba Booyah heading into the first turn and stretched it out to four as she headed into the backstretch straightaway. Equalitysdebutante continued to run away from her rivals as they passed the barns and opened up as many as six lengths after a half mile in 47.28 seconds. However, that lead quickly dissipated as she approached the final turn.

Equalitysdebutante hung on to a one-length lead over Baba Booyah at the top of the final turn, chased closely by post time favorite Valley Loot, who overcame a troubled start to work her way back into contention. Baba Booyah slowly gained on Equalitysdebutante through the bend and drew even with her rival at the top of the stretch. The pair dueled for a sixteenth of a mile before Baba Booyah disposed of her foe at the eighth pole and was kept to task by jockey Jeffrey Skerrett to draw off for a 5 1/2 length victory. Equalitysdebutante kept on for second, 1 1/4 lengths ahead of Moon Charmer.

Baba Booyah completed the one mile race in 1:41.24 over a sealed sloppy dirt surface. She, and stablemate Moon Charmer, left the gates as the field’s third choice in a 4.40-to-one entry. Post time favorite Valley Loot faded to fifth after spending herself getting back into contention.

Baba Booyah is owned by Mast Thoroughbreds, LLC and trained by Robert Gorham. She was bred in Michigan by Todd and Carol Weddon.

With the score in the Moonbeam, Baba Booyah improved her lifetime record to five wins from 16 starts, including two victories in stakes company. Her career earnings now total $87,530.

For an Equibase chart of the race, click here.

1A – Baba Booyah (Jeffrey Skerrett) 10.80 / 6.80 / 3.60
2B – Equalitysdebutante (Octavio Bernal) 4.00 / 2.40
1 – Moon Charmer (Tommy Molina) 10.80 / 6.80 / 3.60

One Mile
Time: 1:41.24

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Equalitysdebutante, Valley Loot set for rematch in Moonbeam Handicap

After shocking the field at odds of 21.40-to-one in the July 17 Larkspur Handicap, Equalitysdebutante returns to prove her effort was no fluke in Saturday’s $20,000 Moonbeam Handicap at Pinnacle Race Course.

Equalitysdebutante will face seven rivals in Saturday’s one mile race for older Michigan-bred fillies and mares. Last year’s installment of the Moonbeam was won by Yawm Estoora.

The purse for the race has been decreased from its normal $50,000 value to accommodate for additional race days of regulation from the Michigan Gaming Control Board.

Equalitysdebutante, a Michigan champion two-year-old filly in 2007, won the Larkspur by five lengths in a front-running trip. The win was the five-year-old Equality mare’s first stakes score since her Juvenile campaign and her most recent start. Larry Penner will saddle Equalitysdebutante for owner Richard Hammer. Octavio Bernal will pick up the mount for Saturday’s race.

Three-time Michigan horse of the year Valley Loot finished second to Equalitysdebutante in the Larkspur, also her most recent start. The six-year-old Demaloot Demashoot mare is still seeking her first win of 2010 after running into buzzsaws in all three of her starts this year, finishing second each time. Regular rider Federico Mata will once again be in the saddle for owner Felicia Campbell and trainer Ronald Allen, Sr..

Also entered is the Larkspur’s third place finisher, Peak Of The Storm. The four-year-old Peaks And Valleys filly was the front-running winner of last year’s Regret Stakes at Pinnacle and seeks her first win of the year in the Moonbeam. Peak Of The Storm is a stablemate of Equalitysdebutante, owned by Richard Hammer and trained by Larry Penner. Ricardo Barrios will be in the irons

#. Horse / Jockey / Trainer / Odds

1. Moon Charmer / T Molina / R M Gorham / 7-2
1A. Baba Booyah / J Skerrett / R M Gorham / 7-2
2. Peak Of The Storm / R Barrios / L Penner / 5-2
2B. Equalitysdebutante / O Bernal / L Penner / 5-2
3. Half A Glance / A Ortiz / J Gold / 20-1
4. Hakuna Matata / J J Delgado / L R Uelmen / 4-1
5. Secret Candy / J E Collazo, Jr. / R D Allen, Sr. / 20-1
6. Valley Loot / F Mata / R D Allen, Sr. / 6-5

Yawm Estoora powers home in Moonbeam Handicap

Yawm Estoora made a strong statement in her bid to be named the state’s top older female with a 4 1/4 length victory in Saturday’s $20,000 Moonbeam Handicap at Pinnacle Race Course.

The six-year-old Dayjur mare tracked Silent Sunset from second in the opening furlongs. She overtook that rival on the backstretch and held off She Could Be Good and Wave Pool heading into the final turn. Yawm Estoora began to separate from her foes in the turn and held a two length advantage at the top of the stretch. The lead continued to grow as the wire drew closer under steady right hand whipping by Angel Stanley. Yawm Estoora stopped the clock in the one mile race in 1:42.37 over a sloppy surface.

Irish Date took a wide trip coming out of the final turn to finish second by a neck over Wave Pool. Early pacesetter Silent Sunset faded to last.

Yawm Estoora’s rider, Angel Stanley, extended his stakes streak at Pinnacle to three straight wins. Stanley has proven effective in the big spots this year, having won four of the six stakes races at Pinnacle during the 2009 meet, including wins in the Ann Arbor Stakes (aboard Hakuna Matata), Dowling Stakes (Meadow Wise) and Larkspur Handicap (Yawm Estoora).

Yawm Estoora was saddled by trainer Ronald Inman. She was homebred in Michigan by Twin Cedars Farm. The victory in the Moonbeam increased Yawm Estoora’s career record to six wins from 17 starts with lifetime earnings of $83,612.

For an Equibase chart of the race click here.

3 – Yawm Estoora (Angel Stanley) 6.80 / 3.00
1A – Irish Date (Godofredo Laurente) 2.40
5 – Wave Pool (Federico Mata)

One Mile
Time: 1:42.37

Yawm Estoora goes for consecutive stakes scores in Moonbeam Handicap

She Could Be Good is one of two horses entered by trainer Robert Gorham for Saturday's Moonbeam Handicap at Pinnacle Race Course.

With Michigan’s reigning older female of the year, Valley Loot, still resting up after a stakes try at Presque Isle Downs, the division will look for a new challenger to the title in Saturday’s $20,000 Moonbeam Handicap at Pinnacle Race Course.

The one-mile contest is one of four stakes races at Pinnacle to have its purse slashed from $50,000 to $20,000 in order to cover the operating expenses for the Office of Racing Commissioner during the meet.

With a win already over Valley Loot in the June 27 Larkspur Handicap, Yawm Estoora stands to take command of the division with a win Saturday. Owned by Twin Cedars farm and trained by Ron Inman, the six-year-old Dayjur mare enters the race well-rested, having not started since finishing fourth in a July 7 allowance race at Pinnacle.

Angel Stanley will get the mount on Yawm Estoora, who will race with blinkers off this Saturday.

One of two entries from trainer Robert Gorham and owner Mast Thoroughbreds, LLC, She Could Be Good comes off a July 13 allowance victory at Pinnacle. The five-year-old Daylight Savings mare was initially campaigned at Fair Grounds Race Course in Louisiana by co-owners Sheffield Farms before being brought to Michigan for last year’s Sire Stakes, where she finished second behind Valley Loot. Jeffrey Skerrett will be in the saddle for the Moonbeam.

The other half of the entry, Irish Date, will be ridden by Godofredo Laurente.

Also entered is 2008 Sire Stakes winner Wave Pool. The four-year-old Sea Legs filly won the three-year-old female division of the series last year en route to being named the group’s champion. Wave Pool finished a fast-closing fourth in the Larkspur Handicap behind Yawm Estoora. Ron Allen, Sr. trains Wave Pool for Campbell Stable. Federico Mata will get the assignment.

#. Horse / Jockey / Trainer / Odds
1. She Could Be Good / J Skerrett / R M Gorham / 3-1
1A. Irish Date / G Laurente / R M Gorham / 3-1
2. Silent Sunset / A A Marin / J A Lewis / 6-1
3.  Yawm Estoora / A O Stanley / R P Inman / 4-1
4. Nell’s Enjoyment / J J Delgado / S M Spiess / 5-1
5. Wave Pool / F Mata / R D Allen, Sr. / 7-2