New Moon Shining

[Erin Sanderson]

16.1hh blk. m. Gibraltar - Russian Ballerina, by July
18 Starts; 8 Win, 5 Place, 2 Show
$2,110,000

WON

Steward's Cup Filly & Mare Turf - G1 (1 1/4m, T, defeating Olive Branch, Born of the Pulsar, Tahboo, Shinelikeadiamond, Adosaceae, Xhalax, Cortina, Go Ahead N Wonder, Worry Free, Signed In Blood, etc.) - 86 SF

Arcadia Marathon - G1 (1 3/4m, T, defeating Thresh, Knowledgeispower, etc.) - 84 SF

Flower Pot Handicap - G1 (1 1/4m, T, defeating Tell, Dawn, Faith and Belief, Lady Jubilee, Born of the Pulsar, etc.) - 82 SF

Melbourne Oaks - G1 (1 1/2m, T, defeating Worry Free, Zambeza, etc.) - 79 SF

Limpopo Trophy - G2 (1 1/4m, T, defeating Band of Horses, Dreamweaving Star, Call of the Lion, Won't Work Out, etc.) - 79 SF

Nitakupiga Stakes - G2 (1 1/8m, T, defeating Dirty Diva, Counterexample, etc.) - 79 SF

Allowance (1 1/8m, T, defeating Place of Honour, Brave and the Bold, etc.) - 80 SF

Maiden Special Weight (1 1/16m, T, defeating Terpsichore, If You're Happy, etc.) - 78 SF)

2ND

Hong Kong Turf Distaff - G1 (1 1/2m, T, to Three Ships, defeating Heart of Dixie, Left in Ruins, Emancipate, Ardbeg) - 81 SF

City of Gold Cup - G1 (2m, T, to Signed in Blood, defeating Closer Than This, Counterexample, Bigarre, Constilation, etc.) - 81 SF

Chief Bearhart Stakes - G2 (1 1/2m, T, to Ben Browder, defeating Wizarding War, Tahylor, etc.) - 79 SF

Queensland Turf Stakes - G3 (1 1/16m, T, to Worry Free, defeating Put It On My Tab, Never Dreamweaving, Zambeza, etc.) - 72 SF

First Route Ladies (1 1/16m, T, to Shinelikeadiamond, defeating Sweet Baby Breesus, etc.) - 84 SF

3RD

Flower Pot Handicap - G1 (1 1/4m, T, to Adoxaceae, Tahboo, defeating Worry Free, Signed in Blood, Counterexample) - 64 SF

National Australia Stakes - G2 (1 1/8m, T, to Worry Free, Pledgeofallegiance, defeating Crossfirehurricane, Zambeza, etc.) - 69 SF

BIO

New Moon Shining was special from the outset. She was my first "scary good" foal by Gibraltar, and then became my first grade one winner by Gibraltar. As a two-year-old, she was consistent, breaking her maiden second out and placing in a couple of stakes. At three, she got her first grade one (actually, any kind of stakes) win in the Melbourne Oaks and was a very solid second in the Hong Kong Turf Distaff behind the very nice champion Three Ships.

It was as a four-year-old, however, that she really blossomed. She started out the year with a solid second to Signed in Blood in the City of Gold Cup - on a four-week layoff after shipping halfway around the world no less. Her second start was a return to the winner's circle in the Nitakupiga Stakes before she took on the boys - including Band of Horses - and beat them in the Limpopo Trophy.

Following another halfway-around-the-globe trip and another four-week layoff, New Moon Shining was short for the Flower Pot Handicap, but she was nevertheless entered in the Steward's Cup. Against a full field of superstars, including the great mare Olive Branch, New Moon Shining stuck her neck in front at the start and never looked back, holding off a troubled Olive Branch by three-quarters of a length.

This filly represents my first-ever "scary good", my stallion's precious first Steward's Cup winner, and my personal second Steward's Cup winner, making her special in so many ways.

[Nena Olson]

She is an awesome mare and her backstory is awesome Glad that she was able make her daddy proud

[Darcy McBride]

She is lovely, Erin. You must be Soooo proud of her! Can't wait to see her babies!

[Erin Sanderson]

Thanks girls

And yes, I am very proud of her! Here's hoping her two younger wow siblings can at least halfway live up! I have a colt by What You Are that just turned three and a yearling filly by Pride of Atlantis, both out of Russian Ballerina, that are looking super nice.

[Erin Sanderson]

Huge, colossal thank you to everyone who voted New Moon Shining the North American Champion Turf Female!!!!!

[Erin Sanderson]

Moon is entered in her first start of the year after that big Steward's Cup victory! This year, she's going to be taking on the boys, most likely more than once, en route to a repeat appearance at the SC. For now, she is entered in the 1 3/4 mile Arcadia Marathon. At the moment, two others are entered against her: Nini Hunter's lovely homebred Thresh, a multiple grade one-winning half brother to Captain Hammer and Magical Trevor, and Xander Zone's Prideoftheinternet, a very nice grade one-winning colt who has, to this point, seemed to prefer the shorter distances.

[Erin Sanderson]

Moon added another grade one victory to her resume with a solid win in the Arcadia Marathon over Thresh! After a lot of hemming and hawing and a couple of people helping to talk me into it, she is now entered in the Desert Turf Classic.

At the moment, she will be facing the great Two Toned, as well as Saved, James Halliday, and Wizarding War, all of whom are very, very high quality racehorses. I am expecting at least Anorak and Pants to be added to the field.

And it is entirely likely that she and Two Toned will cook each other on the front end, setting things up for a closer to win...

[Erin Sanderson]

So, Moon and Two Toned didn't go at it at the start. They let Anorak take the lead and run away with the whole thing! RRH and I blame the jockeys for hers and Rilian's losses, and that's all there is to it.

I have no idea where I should bring my girl back, however. The original plan before the failed trip to Dubai was the Tribeca Stakes against the boys week 9, then the Chicago Million, Everest Stakes, and Steward's Cup (yep, the whole plan was to campaign against the boys). Any thoughts?

[Erin Sanderson]

Moon returned in the Chief Bearhart Stakes against the boys in the States, where she ran into the excellent Ben Browder. She was a very good second, and will pop up against the girls next out in the Flower Pot Handicap! She is facing down such awesome ladies as Lady Jubilee, Born of the Pulsar, Faith and Belief, Anklet, and Tell. Pardon me while I get nervous.

In the meantime, she is now a multimillionaire with $2,010,000 in earnings!

[Darcy McBride]

Where is her headshot?!

[Darcy McBride]

Where is her headshot?!

[Erin Sanderson]

I am broke after just getting out of college and attempting (and failing) to find a career so I'm saving up most of the gamepoints I have to renew my SIMperior in a couple months lol

[Erin Sanderson]

Moon now has a headshot It was posted right after she added another grade one to her resume with a gutsy win over an absolutely STELLAR field in the Flower Pot Handicap!

She will race next in the Steward's Cup Filly & Mare Turf for her final start before retirement.

Also, Moon was another first for me: My first $2 million earner!

[Erin Sanderson]

New Moon Shining said she was done after finishing 8th in the Steward's Cup, so she is officially retired.

[Erin Sanderson]

Her first foal so far kind of stinks. He's a hard to tell with slow works. But hopefully he winds up pulling a Through the Ghost and getting better at two?