Sturgeon Moon. (Jenny Doyle/Past The Wire)
Jockey Gaffalione scores six on the 10-race card
Past The Wire Staff
HENDERSON, Ky.—The day at Ellis Park would close on a high note as OXO Equine LLC’s Sturgeon Moon would take the $200,000 Audubon Oaks for trainer Will Walden.
Jockey Tyler Gaffalione would be awarded his sixth win on the day including four stakes.
The field of 12 3-year-old fillies dwindled to seven with several scratches. Viral Plane Lady would take to the lead setting a flashy opening quarter of 22.27 as Princess Proud challenged relentlessly.
The field would jockey back and forth for position with Sturgeon Moon sitting off the pace in fourth.
Sturgeon Moon tracked along the inside then shifted out four wide at the quarter pole while Princess Proud pressed two wide made a bid between horses into the far turn.
Leading at the quarter pole, Princess Proud kicked clear in upper stretch, but was caught at the sixteenth pole, tired yet lasted for place. While rallied to reel in the leader at the sixteenth pole and drew clear for a three-furlong victory.
Trusty Troutman broke a step slow before clipping Viral Plane Lady’s hind heels soon after the start trailing in the aftermath staying up for third. Viral Plane Lady got headed nearing the five sixteenths pole and was steadied back at the quarter pole recovering only to be outkicked for show.
The rider of Viral Place Lady, Walter Rodriguez, claimed foul against Princess Proud and Jaime Torres alleging interference at the quarter pole, but the objection was disallowed by the stewards.
"Cutting back to 7/8ths, Mr. Best and Will thought that it would be the right move, and it turned out to be."
— TwinSpires Racing (@TwinSpires) August 10, 2025
.@joeydakracing talks to jockey @tyler_gaff (6 wins today!) and OXO Equine Stable Manager @DCHI23 after Sturgeon Moon's win in the Audubon Oaks! pic.twitter.com/NyVcUrqnw8
Hollygrove, Run Camila Run and Ruby’s Ghost would complete the order of finish.
Impulse Buy, Kimchi Cat, Mendela, Vodka With a Twist and Volleyballprincess all scratched.
The winner completed the seven furlongs on dirt in 1:23.08 with fractions of 45.14 and 1:09.97.
Sturgeon Moon paid $6.00 (3.00, 2.22) for the win with Princess Proud paying $3.36 (2.76) for place and Trusty Troutman paying $3.66 for show.
With six career starts, the bay now has three wins hitting the board with a second and third. She boosted her earnings to a quarter of a million with the victory, her first this season after shortening on distance in this start.
Bred by Phalaris, LLC in Kentucky, Surgeon Moon is a daughter of Instagrand out of Warrior’s Reward mare La Regia.
Selling at the 2022 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale for $60,000, Sturgeon Moon has more than rewarded her connections.
