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First Moonflash Maturity (RG2)
Byron Woodard’s No Mires A La Luna sprinted to a half-length victory in the September 11, 440-yard First Moonflash Maturity (RG2) for New Mexico-breds at Albuquerque Downs.
Prepped by Ebert Munoz, No Mires A La Luna covered his quarter-mile trip in :21.404 while racing against a reported 10-mph head wind. Noe Garcia Jr. rode the homebred 6-year-old First Moonflash gelding.
No Mires A La Luna was stretching out in distance off of his second-place finish, one length behind winner Fly On Down, in a 400-yard, $30,500 open-condition allowance race for New Mexico-breds at Ruidoso Downs on August 27, and he banked the $45,000 winner’s share of a $75,000 purse. The bay gelding’s sire, First Moonflash, was the sport’s champion aged stallion in 2009.
A son of 2002 champion 2-year-old colt First To Flash, First Moonflash earned $969,828 from 25 starts and won 10 stakes while racing from 2007-09.
First Moonflash has sired the earners of more than $24.7 million from 10 crops, including champions Flash and Roll,
Handsome Jack Flash and Foxy Moonflash. A half-brother to four stakes winners, including graded stakes winners Dash Ta Moon
and Moonifisant, the stallion died due to complications from laminitis in May 2019.
No Mires A La Luna is out of Dont Looke Ethel, a winning daughter of the Strawfly Special stallion Genuine Strawfly. Raced
in two states, including Texas, the gelding has won seven of 32 starts and has earned $585,605. He has won five stakes, including the 2019 Zia Derby (RG2) for New Mexico- bred sophomores at Ruidoso Downs, and he ran third, three-quarters of a length behind winner Apocalyptical Jess, in the 2018 All American Futurity (G1).
No Mires A La Luna was sent to post at odds of 6-1 and returned a $14 win mutuel. Man Of Faith finished second and was followed by HS Paul Walker, Flashing Moolah, Mi Moonflash, Chicky Chicky Kai and 4-5 favorite Bigg Dee.
A homebred son of the One Famous Eagle stallion One Handsome Man campaigned
by Jose E. Vargas, Man Of Faith banked
the $15,000 runner-up share of the First
Moonflash Maturity purse. The gray gelding has won four of 20 races and has earned $128,667, of which $109,713 has been pocketed from 11 outs at Albuquerque Downs.
HS Paul Walker earned the $7,500 third-place share of the purse for his owner, Hubaldo Solis. A homebred son of the Jesse James Jr stallion Osbaldo, the 6-year-old
gray gelding has won six of 29 starts, and his career resume includes a second-place finish, a neck behind winner Woodys Copy Cat, in the 2018 New Mexico Cup Futurity (RG2) at Zia Park.
No Mires A La Luna’s winning connections include owner Byron Woodard, trainer Ebert Munoz and jockey Noe Garcia Jr.
Photos by Coady Photography
DOWNS AT ALBUQUERQUE
First Moonflash
First To Flash
Nagano Moon
Dont Looke Ethel
Genuine Strawfly
Minnie Coup
NO MIRES A LA LUNA
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