Malibu Moonshine Makes Return in Maryland Juvenile Fillies

Happy Face Racing Stable’s Malibu Moonshine, scratched as a top contender from last month’s Maryland Million with a fever, returns to Laurel Park to make her Maryland and stakes debut in Saturday’s $100,000 Maryland Juvenile Fillies.

The 36th running of the Juvenile Fillies and 41st edition of the $100,000 Maryland Juvenile, both seven-furlong sprints for Maryland-bred/sired 2-year-olds, co-headline a nine-race program that begins at 12:05 p.m.

Bred by Dr. Ronald Harris Parker, Malibu Moonshine is based in New York with trainer Charlton Baker, who captured the Feb. 19 Barbara Fritchie (G3) with Glass Ceiling in his first trip to Laurel since winning the 2017 Primonetta with Absatootly.

Malibu Moonshine, by Bourbon Courage, overcame a poor break to rally for a popular six-length maiden special weight triumph Sept. 11 at historic Pimlico Race Course in her only race to date.

“She always showed promise. She worked great coming up to that race,” Baker said. “We had her in Saratoga and we were planning on running her there. The owner suggested because she’s a Maryland-bred that we ship her to Maryland to run her, so we did that.

Baker planned to bring Malibu Moonshine back for the Maryland Million Lassie Oct. 22, but the chestnut filly got sick and was withdrawn the morning of the race, won by Chickieness, who returns Saturday.

Malibu Moonshine has had three timed breezes since missing the Lassie including a bullet five-furlong move in 1:00.20 Nov. 28 over the Belmont Park training track. Angel Cruz gets the riding assignment from the rail in a field of 11.