Mongeon Trainee Seeks A Place to Shine in Claiming Crown Glass Slipper

From Gulstream news release
Posted: 12/2/16

When last seen at Gulfstream Park, A Place to Shine won a $12,500 claiming race in March. The 3-year-old daughter of Tale of Ekati will return as a graded stakes-placed performer in the $110,000 Glass Slipper in Saturday’s nine-race $1.1 million Claiming Crown.

Trained by Kathy Mongeon for Jeremiah Kane, A Place to Shine followed up a 13 ½-length maiden score in a $25,000 claiming race with a 12 ½-length win for a $12,500 tag on the day she was claimed.

“She had won impressively for $25,000 the start before, Running back for $12,500, we were taking a shot,” Mongeon said. “We won a 17-way shake…on St. Patty’s Day.”

After the new acquisition’s back-to-back blowout wins, Mongeon received several offers to privately purchase the 3-year-old filly, but Mongeon was so pleased with the Kentucky-bred filly that she wanted to keep her in her stable. A Place to Shine captured an optional claiming allowance at Parx in her first start for Mongeon June 13.

“It was one of those races where you say, ‘Oh, my God!’” Mongeon said. “It didn’t look she had a shot. She was laying fourth and dropped back, and then she just made a run down the stretch like she came out of a cannon. She was just flying at the end.”

A Place to Shine returned in the $300,000 Delaware Oaks (G3), in which she closed to finish second, beaten by 1 ¼ lengths, over a sloppy track.

“It was on a day that there was just a downpour. We had a 45-minute delay. The paddock judge came up to the jocks and said, ‘Stay off the rail,’” Mongeon said. “She ran huge.”
She subsequently finished fourth in the Monmouth Park Oaks.

“She lost her shoe going into the first turn. She got into a little jackpot and you could see the scramble. She ripped her front shoe off. It’s kind of hard to run with no front shoe in a graded stakes,” Mongeon said. “She still didn’t run bad to finish fourth. She’s got a lot of heart.”

In her most recent start, A Place to Shine won a fees-paid berth in the Glass Slipper by capturing a ‘Win & You’re In’ race at Laurel Park Nov. 6.

“We stepped up against older horses. She had run in 3-year-old stakes. Even though it’s a  $12,500 starter, they’re still solid older mares,” Mongeon said. “It was a good step-up.”

Joe Bravo has the mount aboard A Place to Shine in a field of 14 fillies and mares.

Loooch Racing Stables’ Moonshine Promise was entered to for an attempt to repeat in the Glass Slipper, a mile event for fillies and mares that have started for a claiming price of $12,500 or lower at least once.

The 7-year-old daughter of Will He Shine captured the 2015 edition by five lengths. She followed up that victory with a pair of starter allowance wins during last year’s Championship Meet but has won one of seven subsequent starts.

Antonio Gallardo is slated to ride Moonshine Promise for the first time Saturday.
Trainer Michael Maker and owners Ken and Sarah Ramsey, who have scored a record 14 Claiming Crown wins in their respective categories, are set to team in the Glass Slipper with Littlemissperfect. The 5-year-old daughter of Street Hero, who has won10 of 35 career starts, finished second in a Churchill Downs starter allowance in her first start since being claimed for $20,000.

Maker is also slated to saddle Rockin Horse Stable’s Arella Princess, who captured a starter allowance at Gulfstream Park West before finishing third Nov. 6 behind Esken Lady and Tormenta de Oro, both of whom are also entered in the Glass Slipper.

Jose Ortiz is slated to ride Littlemissperfect, while Julien Leparoux has the mount aboard Arella Princess. Edgard Zayas is set to ride Esken Lady, while Luca Panici was named on Tormenta de Oro.

Teresa and David Palmer’s Sweet Madea enters the Glass Slipper off a pair of runaway victories for trainer Stanley Gold, including a 6 ¼-length optional claiming allowance romp at Gulfstream Park West last time out. Roberto Alvarado Jr. has the return mount.

Concealedwithakiss, a winner of three of her last four starts at Gulfstream before winning one of two races at Gulfstream Park; Amaluna, who finished second behind

Concealedwithakiss last time out; and Too Clever By Half, a 17-race winner; are among the most prominent contenders.

Untrue, Song Memory, B L’s Wagon and Shesthewinner round out the field.