Malibu Moon filly dominant again in second straight stakes

Shimmering Aspen rolled to a 5 ½-length victory in Saturday’s $75,000 Twixt S. at Laurel Park, the second stakes win in a row for the 3-year-old Malibu Moon filly.

Owned by Hillwood Stable LLC, the gray or roan filly is now 5-0-1 in seven starts, with earnings of $166,790.

As she did in Laurel’s $75,000 Alma North S. two months ago, Shimmering Aspen was just off the pace early, but this time had to wait a bit longer before launching a four-wide bid outside the quarter pole. She went by the leaders with ease and was going along comfortably as she stopped the timer in 1:22.72 for seven furlongs on the “good” main track. She earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 98.

“I think Steve’s (jockey Hamilton) done a great job with teaching her everything. She likes the front end but today when she broke and dropped back she really wasn’t pulling him that hard,” winning trainer Rodney Jenkins said. “He knew he had to wait for his spot. She does everything pretty perfect. She’s a smart filly and he gave her a great ride. We’re very lucky to have something like this.”

Shimmering Aspen is out of the four-time stakes winner Aspenglow. She was bred in Kentucky by Nancy Terhune, Ernest Frohboese and Candyland Farm and sold for $200,000 at the 2015 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic October Yearling sale.

Malibu Moon recently passed the 100 lifetime stakes winners milestone, and is closing in on the $100 million mark in progeny earnings.