Mullin shines, Will Take Charge struggles in Alysheba

Moonshine Mullin (rail) was a determined winner over Golden Ticket (Jamie Newell/Horsephotos.com) Moonshine Mullin, who was claimed for $40,000 by owner Randy Patterson and trainer Randy Morse at Remington Park in November, bravely re-rallied in the stretch to edge Golden Ticket in the Grade 2, $342,000 Alysheba at Churchill Downs on Friday, while last year’s champion three-year-old Will Take Charge floundered in sixth as the 3-5 favorite. Sent to the lead from post 1 under the rail-skimming Hall of Famer Calvin Borel, Moonshine Mullin set fractions of :23 4/5, :47 4/5 and 1:11 3/5. After being challenged at the quarter pole by Golden Ticket and then giving up a narrow advantage to that rival in midstretch, the six-year-old came back in the final sixteenth to win by a half-length in a time of 1:42 4/5 for 1 1/16 miles on a fast track. “I had a lot of confidence in him today and I rode him that way,” Borel said. “The plan was to stay on the rail, get to the front and slow it down as much as I could. We were going along at a pretty good clip, but my horse felt good. That other horse (Golden Ticket) came up outside me and actually stuck his head in front. I was giving my horse a breather, but I picked his head up and went at ’em again. He was game and we got it done.”

The 6-1 third choice in a field of eight, Moonshine Mullin paid $15.80.
Golden Ticket the second choice at 5-1, finished 3 3/4 lengths clear of 25-1
outsider Coin Broker for second. The order of finish was rounded out by Mylute,
Bradester, Will Take Charge, Golden Soul, and Appealing Tale. Normandy Invasion
was scratched.

The disappointment in the field was Will Take Charge, who was coming off a
controversial victory in last month’s Oaklawn Handicap. Will Take Charge endured
an inside trip most of the way under new rider Gary Stevens, but never showed
much interest. He finished more than 10 lengths behind the winner in what was
his worst performance since the Triple Crown last spring.

“He was on the inside before but he didn’t seem to be enjoying it down in
there,” Stevens said. “I squeezed on him midway down the backside to be able to
get out on him. He got into a nice rhythm and then, boom, he got pressure again
on the outside, was forced down inside and he just wasn’t lengthening like his
normal self. Shortening up to a mile and a sixteenth today off the good mile and
an eighth, he’s had a good last couple of efforts so I really don’t have any
excuse for him.”

Initially with Reade Baker in Canada, Moonshine Mullin captured his first
stakes in the 2011 Victoria Park at Woodbine, and also placed in the 2010
Display and 2011 editions of the Ontario Derby and Jim Dandy at Saratoga.

Subsequently unplaced in two stakes outings for Donnie Von Hemel, Moonshine
Mullin was claimed for $25,000 by Steve Asmussen last August, and won one of
three races for that barn before the claim by Morse.

Fourth and third in his first two starts for his present connections,
Moonshine Mullin commenced his current win streak on February 13, winning by 3
1/4 lengths in a $40,000 optional claimer at Oaklawn. A winner by the same
margin over a mile for an $80,000 tag in his next start, he preceded this score
with a 5 3/4-length romp against allowance foes going 1 1/16 miles at the Hot
Springs, Arkansas, oval.

“I won a race with this horse at Oaklawn (April 11) the day before the
favorite (Will Take Charge) ran his race in the Oaklawn Handicap,” Borel said.
“My horse had better numbers; he ran a better race.”

Moonshine Mullins’ record now stands at 31-8-4-5, $685,513.

A son of Albert the Great and the unraced Distant View mare Mullen Road,
Moonshine Mullin was bred in Kentucky by Dr. Russ Beran and Dick Johnson. Mullen
Road is herself a half-sister to Argentinean Group 1 winner Successful Affair.

This extended family includes Grade 1-winning turf performer Danger’s Hour
and English Group 3 winner Stonehatch.

Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com