Moon Spun Tenacious Winner of $100,000 Abundantia

Extends Streak to Three Races in Five-Furlong Turf Sprint

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Town and Country Racing’s Moon Spun, making her second start off more than a year layoff and first in a stakes, extended her win streak to three races with a tenacious front-running triumph over multiple graded-stakes winner Haulin Ice in Saturday’s $100,000 Abundantia at Gulfstream Park.

The ninth running of the five-furlong Abundantia for fillies and mares 3 and up was the second of three stakes worth $350,000 in purses on an 11-race program highlighted by the Mr. Prospector (G3) for sprinters 3 and up on the main track.

Favored at 9-5 in a field of seven, Moon Spun ($5.80) covered a firm turf course in 55.33 seconds under Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano to give trainer Brian Lynch his third consecutive victory in the Abundantia, following Just a Care in 2024 and Stone Silent in 2023.

“We’ve had a bit of fun in here,” Lynch said. “This is a very consistent filly.”

After appearing to get worked up in the post parade, Moon Spun was hustled from her post outside all but one rival and hooked up with 12-1 longshot Etrurian through an opening quarter-mile in 21.54 seconds. Two-time Grade 3 winner Haulin Ice, making her turf debut, settled alone in third chasing the leaders.

Moon Spun inherited the lead after going a spirited half in 43.73 seconds as Etrurian dropped out of contention and Haulin Ice moved up to second with Flamingo Way looming a threat in third. Irad Ortiz Jr. set Haulin Ice down for a drive on the outside of Moon Spun but the leader would not yield and held on to win by a neck.

“She got a little hot going to the gate so that was a little concerning, but she’s a bit of a hot-blooded filly at the best of times,” Lynch said. “She broke sharp and [Castellano] got to give her a little breather going into the turn, so I think that helped. They had every chance to beat her. They ran up to her like they were going to go by her and she bore down and got it done.”

“She’s always been a very tough filly as far as her constitution no matter what you do with her, whether it’s loading her on a van or just messing with her,” he added. “She’s very tough, so it didn’t surprise me that she’s got that sort of grit when it comes to a dogfight.”

It was 1 ¼ lengths back to Love Appeals in third, followed by Flamingo Way. Choose Joy, Etrurian and Mizoula. Sporting Lady, Le Amazonia and Vindicate Cha Cha were scratched.

For Castellano, it was his second stakes win of the weekend after capturing Friday’s $125,000 Rampart with Sterling Silver.

“She broke well from the gate,” Castellano said of Moon Spun. “I used her a little bit because that’s her best weapon. I tried to not overdo it and not overuse it. I gave her a little break at the three-eighths pole. I liked the way she finished with all the pressure and the way she did it in the end. Very impressive.”

The win also continued a blazing start to the Championship Meet for Lynch, who is now 10-for-22 (45 percent) including stakes wins in the Fort Lauderdale (G3) with Wolfie’s Dynaghost and Wait a While with Sister Troienne. His 10 wins rank third behind three-time defending titleholder Saffie Joseph Jr. (13) and Jose D’Angelo (12).

“We sat on some horses leaving Kentucky that weren’t completely ready there but they were ready when we got here,” Lynch said. “The [condition] book set up [and] the riders have been giving them great rides for us. Let’s just hope we can keep it rolling.”

Lynch indicated the $125,000 Ladies Turf Sprint Feb. 2 could be the next start for Moon Spun, who improved her career record to 4-3-1 from eight starts.

“There’s a great little sprint series here for the winter so we’ll keep stepping through that division,” he said.

Inaugurated in 2018, the Abundantia honors the Roman goddess of prosperity, abundance and good fortune and is traditionally contested at the end of the calendar year.