By DRF.com
DEL MAR, Calif. (Aug. 18, 2024) — Much has changed for Moment’s Pleasure since she finished a game second in her stakes debut in the $102,500 Fran’s Valentine Stakes at Santa Anita in May.
Moment’s Pleasure followed that one-length loss with a second in an allowance race there on June 14, and a win in an allowance race at Del Mar on July 28.
In Sunday’s $152,500 Solana Beach Stakes for statebred fillies and mares at Del Mar, Moment’s Pleasure showed substantial improvement from her recent starts, closing from fourth on the turn to win the one-mile grass race by 1 3/4 lengths.
Moment’s Pleasure is by Clubhouse Ride, out of the Lemon Drop Kid mare Lamazone, was bred by Rainmaker Racing LLC, Ben & Sally Warren & Bret Lewis, is owned by Rainmaker Racing LLC and Lewis, Bret and trained by Craig Lewis. She has three wins in eight starts and earnings of $221,880.
Moment’s Pleasure was one of three 3-year-olds in a field of 11 in the Solana Beach.
“She’s 3 and most of the horses in this race are 4,” Craig Lewis said. “She got beat earlier this year at Santa Anita by the favorite (Stay and Scam) and she’s developed a lot since then. I think she showed it today. (Jockey) Hector (Berrios) and I drew it out just like that in the paddock and it went just the way we wanted it to go. He gave her a terrific ride.”
Moment’s Pleasure raced in fourth on the backstretch, tracking Sneaker through early fractions of 23.22 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 46.76 for a half-mile.
Staying on the inside, Moment’s Pleasure moved closer to the front on the turn, and rallied two-wide in early stretch. Moment’s Pleasure fought past a challenge from Stay and Scam, the winner of the Fran’s Valentine, to take the lead with more than a furlong remaining.
Moment’s Pleasure ($10.80) was timed in 1:34.67. Rose Maddox (6-1) finished second, a nose in front of 22-1 Court Snort.
Cornelia Fort finished fourth, followed by Stay and Scam, Abhita, Sneaker, Safa, Ultimate Hy and Uncontrollable.
Tom’s Regret, the winner of the Pleasanton Oaks at the Alameda County Fair in Pleasanton, Calif., in June was scratched in favor of the Grade 3 Rancho Bernardo Stakes for fillies and mares at 6 1/2 furlongs on Aug. 25, trainer Steve Miyadi said earlier on Sunday.