Luna Vega wins Molly Pitcher Stakes at Monmouth August 31st, 2009
Jockey Elvis Trujillo scored his fifth victory on Sundays card at Monmouth Park by guiding Luna Vega to the winners circle in the $300,000 Grade 2 Molly Pitcher Stakes.
Trujillo moved wide with Luna Vega in the stretch, took command halfway home and scored a 1 1/2 -length victory over Spritely, covering the mile and a sixteenth over a fast main track in 1:41 4-5. The Steve Asmussen-trained filly returned $13, $5.40 and $3.40 in winning for the fourth time in 14 starts.
Spritely paid $4.20 and $2.60, while Devil House was another seven lengths back in third and paid $5.
Euphony, the post-time favorite, never factored and finished fifth, the first time she was off the board in 13 career outings.
There was a lot of speed in the race so I just stayed behind everyone, Trujillo said. At the three-eighths pole, I came out and she ran a good race from there.