Racing in North America on Boxing Day produced a new Group I winner for Aussie bred sire Starspangledbanner with his Irish bred three year-old filly Rhea Moon capturing the $300,000 Group I American Oaks (2000m) at Santa Anita on the turf.
Trained by Phillip D’Amato, Rhea Moon placed twice at her only starts in Ireland as a juvenile before being switched to the US where she has made good progress.
She won the Group III Autumn Miss Stakes at Santa Anita at the end of October and upped the ante again with this performance, charging to the line when clear to overhaul runner-up School Dance to win by a head.
Rhea Moon has the impressive overall record of four wins and five placings from nine starts.
She is the first foal of unraced Fastnet Rock mare Callisto Star, who is f rom a full sister to Galileo’s Group III winner Eye of the Storm.
She is the sixth Group I winner among 25 stakes-winners for Starspangledbanner, a champion son of Choisir, who has had a fertility hampered stud career and stands at Coolmore Ireland in 2023 at a fee of €50,000.
He did not shuttle to Australia this year, but was at Rosemont Stud in 2021, so had foals born here this spring and does have three entries for Magic Millions, one for Inglis Classic and 14 for Inglis Premier.
Rhea Moon is also another stakes-winner for champion sire Fastnet Rock as a broodmare sire and is the seventh Group I winner bred from one of his daughters.
