FRIZETTE STAKES

(Grade 1)

BY The Moon upset the $500,000 Grade 1 Frizette Stakes at odds of 24/1 last Saturday at Belmont Park, giving Irish-born trainer Michelle Nevin her first Grade 1 win.

Well-rested after a runner-up finish in the Grade 1 Spinaway Stakes on August 31st at Saratoga, the two-year-old Indian Charlie filly tracked the pace set by 2/1 second choice Cavorting and took over coming off the turn.

Wonder Gal was two and a quarter lengths back in second with Feathered completing the trifecta, a length farther behind in third. Condo Commando, who won the Spinaway by 13 and a quarter lengths, finished a non-threatening fourth as the odds-on favourite.

“She’s always been extremely smart and very professional,” trainer Michelle Nevin said. “In her first race she did everything she was expected to do as a racehorse. Even in her second race it wasn’t the greatest trip; she had to go a little wide and maybe it was speed biased that day. Today, she just took control.”

Michelle Nevin, a native of Fethard of Co Tipperary and daughter of former trainer Michael Nevin moved to the US over 15 years ago, becoming assistant trainer to Richard Dutrow.

Alongside her duties as assistant, Nevin was also the regular exercise rider for multiple Grade 1 winner of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, Big Brown. Nevin took over the license from Dutrow in January 2013 and in By The Moon, trained her first Grade 1 winner.

In a great weekend for the trainer, she also handled the Grade 2 Matron Stakes winner Paulasilverlining who was victorious at Belmont on Sunday.