No Laydown In Luna

Owned, bred and trained by Chantal Turpin, two-year-old trotting filly Laydownluna was successful at her second race start on Tuesday at The Creek, driven to victory by Pete McMullen.

In claiming the maiden braking win, the filly became the first square gaited winner to graduate from the inaugural Sunshine Stars Yearling Sale held in 2023.

With the filly reaching $25,000 in the sale ring, she fell just short of the intended reserve and Turpin took the filly home.
Her win on Tuesday included the $3,755 first place stake, $14,000 for the QBRED first win bonus and $2,000 for the first trotting win bonus.

Turpin bred the filly from the mare Illdoitwhenimready, a filly that she raced to seven wins and 11 placings in a 36-start career.
Illdoitwhenimready secured a class record during her three-year-old term at The Creek, her 2.02.8 rate over the 2138 metre a then record for fillies from the mobile start at the distance.

At four, the mare then trotted a 1.57.2 rate over the 1660 metre mobile trip, creating a new class record for four-year-old mares, a record that still stands.

Since being retired, the Great Success mare has produced three live foals and all three are now winners with the latest success by Laydownluna.

Her first foal was You No Ill Be Late, a winner at six of his first eight starts for the husband-and-wife team of Turpin/McMullen, including victories in the three-year-old Springboard Final -when setting an age record for the trip- and the QBRED Final.

Sent to Victoria to the stables of Emma Stewart, You No Ill Be Late ran second in a Victorian Derby heat before finishing fourth in the final behind Cravache Dor, with the colt then sold following the completion of his three-year-old season.

The second foal is the What The Hill filly Icantdoit which has not been seen this season.

Raced on six occasions throughout her two-year-old term. Icantdoit placed in four of her first five starts before breaking maiden ranks at her last run of the season on November 28.

Laydownluna was well beaten on debut behind Why Tanya Sue but had improved following every trial in readiness for that debut.
Second up on Tuesday, McMullen had the daughter of Sebastian K settled three back as the field raced in single file with Justabitlikethis setting the tempo in front.

Angling one off with 600-metres to travel, Laydownluna loomed strongly, putting the nose in front with 75-metres remaining to edge clear for the victory, continuing to show the benefit of experience.

With the mile rate posted at 2.05.1, Laydownluna continued the success of the family, equaling the 2138 metres standing start record for two-year-old fillies set by Why Tanya Sue one month prior.

The strength of the inaugural Sunshine Stars Sale, especially the trotting gait has been highly encouraging.

From 25 trotting yearlings that went through the ring, there has been eight already to the races this season, including five of the eight runners from Tuesday’s race.

Laydownluna has a number of features this season on offer, with the Springboard and QBRED races before her season will likely wrap with the first running of the Nutrien Sunshine Stars $50,000 trotting feature.

WINNING SUNSHINE STARS GRADUATES 2024