FAIRPLEX : Top Of The Moon Wins Feature

Top Of The Moon came from behind Thursday and drew away from early leader Cabo Real to post a 2 1/2-length victory in the $40,000 Gateway To Glory Stakes.

Ridden by Martin Pedroza for trainer Caesar Dominguez, Top Of The Moon entered the race having won once in five previous starts and was coming off an eighth-place finish in the Graduation Stakes at Del Mar.

But the gelded son of Al Mamoon flourished at Fairplex Park, threading between horses on the backstretch to finally draw alongside Cabo Real as the field swung for home.

Top Of The Moon pulled away to earn $22,000 and give trainer Dominguez his third stakes victory of the fair, tops among trainers.

Of Eagles made a belated run to gain the place, 1 1/2 lengths ahead of Cabo Real. Favored Kalembo never was prominent and finished off the board.

The final time for the winner was 1:47 1/5 for the 1-1/16 miles.

Top Of The Moon returned $23 to win and combined with Of Eagles for a $2 exacta payoff of $105.40.

Today’s program will feature the $100,000 Las Madrinas Handicap at 1 1/16 miles.

On Saturday 3-year-olds will run in the 1 1/8-mile $100,000 Pomona Derby, the winner taking $55,000.

Prospect For Four already has won the opening-day Foothill Stakes this season and was successful last season at Fairplex in both the Beau Brummel and Gateway To Glory. Between the fair seasons, however, Prospect For Four found victory hard to come by, rather spending his race-day afternoons chasing graded stakes competition.