Page 96 - NMHBA_Winter2022

DOWNS AT ALBUQUERQUE
Champagne Lane Stakes (R)
Photos by Coady Photography
First Moonflash
First To Flash
Nagano Moon
Mi Camila
Southern Halo
Lady Of Tralee
MI MOONFLASH
Mi Moonflash sprinted to her first career stakes victory in the October 1, $54,500 Champagne Lane Stakes (R) for New Mexico- bred distaffers at Albuquerque Downs.
Trained by Todd Fincher for owners Pierre J. Amestoy Jr., Leslie Amestoy and Roger K. Beasley, Mi Moonflash covered 350 yards in :17.287 while racing against a reported 20-mph head wind. Alfredo Sigala rode the homebred 5-year-old First Moonflash mare.
Mi Moonflash was sent to post at odds of 5-1, and her margin of victory was a head from 13-1 longshot Icy Morning Breeze. The mare’s sire, First Moonflash, was a son of 2002 AQHA champion 2-year-old colt First To Flash. Racing from 2007-09, First Moonflash won 10 stakes and earned $969,828 from 25 starts, and he was voted AQHA champion aged stallion in 2009.
First Moonflash has sired the earners of more than $24.6 million from 10 crops, including AQHA champions Foxy Moonflash, Flash And Roll and Handsome Jack Flash. The stallion died in May 2019 after a battle with laminitis.
Mi Moonflash is out of Mi Camila (TB), a winning daughter of Southern Halo. A 1998
Kentucky-bred foal, Mi Camila produced four winners from as many Thoroughbred starters, including multiple stakes winner Bonndaddy’s and stakes winner Mi Domscat.
Mi Moonflash traces back to her fourth dam, Cream Sauce, a winning daughter of Sauce Boat and a half-sister to European stakes winners Montelimar and L’Extra Honor.
Mi Moonflash was shortening in distance off of her fifth-place finish, 1 3/4 lengths behind winner No Mires A La Luna, in the 440-yard, $75,000 First Moonflash Maturity (RG2) at Albuquerque Downs on September 11. All told, the mare has won six of 21 starts, and the $31,610 winner’s share of the Champagne Lane Stakes purse increased her bankroll to $213,157.
Fanncee, the 13-10 favorite, ran third, a nose behind runner-up Icy Morning Breeze, and was followed by First Flashin, Crown N Royal Gal, Outta Debt, La Bella Julia, Kellys First Moon and Run Potion.
Icy Morning Breeze earned the $10,900 second-place share of the purse to bring her earnings to $280,355 from 16 races for her
owner, William R. Robertson. The homebred 4-year-old daughter of the Holland Ease stallion Winners Version has won three stakes, including the 2020 New Mexico Cup Futurity (RG2) at Zia Park.
Fanncee is a homebred 4-year-old daughter of Big Daddy Cartel mare and 2015 AQHA champion 3-year-old filly Astica racing for Mac and Janis Murray’s MJ Farms. The gray mare has won two of 11 races, and the $5,450 third- place share of the Champagne Lane Stakes purse increased her bankroll to $168,878.
Mi Moonflash’s winning connections include owners Pierre Amestoy Jr., Leslie Amestoy and Roger Beasley, trainer Todd Fincher and jockey Alfredo Sigala.
94 New Mexico Horse Breeder