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DM Moonpie is Morning-Line Choice for Friday's Grade 3 Bank of America Retama Championship Challenge
Multiple stakes winner DM Moonpie is entered in Friday's $60,681 Bank of America Retama Championship Challenge (G3) at Retama Park.

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DM Moonpie is Morning-Line Choice for Friday's Grade 3 Bank of America Retama Championship Challenge

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI

SELMA, TX–AUGUST 14, 2024–DM Moonpie, a homebred 5-year-old son of Moonin The Eagle racing for Donna Mushinski, is one of 10 sprinters entered in Friday's 440-yard, $60,681 Bank of America Retama Championship Challenge (G3) at Retama Park.

DM Moonpie has earned $60,600 from just three races this year, and his season record includes a victory in the 400-yard, $54,000 Willie Hickman Memorial Stakes (R) for Texas-breds at Sam Houston Race Park on June 15. The gelding also ran second, a neck behind winner A Famous Ribbon, in the May 10, 440-yard Sam Houston Classic (G2).

DM Moonpie drew post 3 and will be ridden by Luis Vivanco for trainer Kie Mushinski. The gelding's nine opponents include Ruse Ranch's Pops First Lady, a 6-year-old daughter of world champion Apollitical Jess and one of three distaffers entered in the race.

Pops First Lady will be stretching out in distance off of her wire-to-wire, 1 1/4-length win in the June 28, 350-yard Selma Stakes for fillies and mares. At Remington Park last spring, the mare ran second, a neck behind winner Alliekat Dynasty, in the 350-yard, $50,000 Decketta Stakes (G2) for distaffers on March 16.

Pops First Lady drew post 5 and will be ridden by Nestor Duran for trainer Juan Diaz Jr.

The winner of this race will earn a berth in the October 26, $250,000 Bank of America Challenge Championship (G1) at Albuquerque Downs.

All Retama Park races can be seen at Q-Racing Video.com.