Racing


Illegal Moonflash (11-1) Slight Surprise In Mystery Futurity at Will Rogers Downs
Illegal Moonflash (#9) gets up over Whole Lota Blue (#10) and Sir James (#3) in the $179,896 Mystery Futurity Monday afternoon at Will Rogers Downs.

© Roberts Communications
Illegal Moonflash (11-1) Slight Surprise In Mystery Futurity at Will Rogers Downs

CLAREMORE, OK–SEPTEMBER 26, 2022–With a big finish at the wire, Illegal Moonflash (11-1) defeated Whole Lota Blue (13-1) by a neck in the $179,895 Mystery Futurity at Will Rogers Downs Monday afternoon.  Sir James (8-1) was another neck back to get third in the blanket finish.

Ridden by jockey Jimmy Brooks, Illegal Moonflash completed the 350 yards in :17.798 seconds, equaling a 92 speed index into a 4 mph crosswind. It was the third win and first blacktype victory for the son of champion sire First Moonflash.

Trainer Eddie D. Willis conditions the Oklahoma-bred gelding for owners Jeff Carter and Justin Massey. Bred by Reliance Ranches LLC, from the Walk Thru Fire mare Illegal Fireworks, Illegal Moonflash is a $45,000 Heritage Place Yearling Sale graduate.

Also a finalist in the Heritage Place Juvenile and the Rainbow Juvenile Invitational, Illegal Moonflash used todays $72,458 winner's purse to boost his bankroll to $96,224.

The winning connections of Illegal Moonflash accept the Mystery Futurity stakes trophy on Monday at Will Rogers Downs. © Coady Photography

Whole Lota Blue picked up $33,081for his second-place effort. Michell Hurdle trains the Oklahoma-bred daughter of multiple stakes sire Lota Pyc for owner-breeder Charles Horton. Cody Smith had the riding call aboard the filly out of the Thoroughbred mare Blue Ra Ra by Ra Ra Superstar. She has earned $46,080 in six starts this season.

Sir James, under jockey Roman Cruz, picked up $21,887 for this third-place effort. The son of multiple stakes sire Coronado Cartel races for owner-breeder Ellen Kennedy Racing LLC and is trained by Luis Villafranco. Out of the Takin On The Cash mare Simply An Angel, Sir James has earned $44,762 in seven starts. He also completed in the Easy Jet Stakes and FL Lady Bug Stakes(RG3) at Remington Park earlier this year.

Illegal Moonflash returned $21 to win, $10.80 to place and $6 to show. Whole Lota Blue paid $12.20 and $6.40 and Sir James returned $5.60 to show. The 9-10-3-2 Superfecta returned $837.40.

Snow Cloud, El Relentless Speed, Davila, Biden R Time, Bolt Of Action, Double DIdget and Pevs Cherokee Kid completed the field.

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For more information about the upcoming Will Rogers Downs meet visit the tracks website.