Mony Mony won the $125,000 Star Shoot Stakes at Woodbine Racetrack on Saturday, producing a front-running performance under Sofia Vives to score by one length.The three-year-old filly broke well, took control early, and held off Lakota Lady in the stretch to complete the six-furlong contest in 1:11.02.
Ridden with confidence by Sofia Vives, the daughter of Munnings broke sharply and quickly engaged in an early tussle for the lead before asserting control through an opening quarter in :22.80. Once in rhythm, she carried that advantage smoothly around the turn, with Day to Day tracking about a length behind and Lakota Lady poised just off that rival’s flank.
The complexion of the race shifted in the stretch. Day to Day began to weaken under pressure, while Lakota Lady loomed as the principal threat, briefly shaping as though she might challenge the leader in earnest. Mony Mony, however, found more when it mattered. Under a measured ride, she lengthened her stride in the final furlong to secure victory by a length, stopping the clock in 1:11.02 after fractions of :46.30 and :58.42.
Lakota Lady had to settle for second, with Day to Day holding third ahead of Edey in fourth.
The victory provided jockey Sofia Vives with a third consecutive success in the Star Shoot Stakes, underlining her growing affinity with the early-season sprint. Having partnered Brindi (IRE) to victory last year and Sabatini in 2024, she once again judged the tempo to perfection.
Trainer Joe Sharp had sent Mony Mony north for Woodbine’s opening stakes fixture of the campaign, a move that was rewarded with a polished display. The filly, purchased for $110,000 at the OBS Spring Sale in April 2025, races for Scott Dilworth, Evan Dilworth and Randy Andrews.
Saturday’s success marked a return to form following a below-par sixth-place finish in the Serena’s Song Stakes at Turfway Park in late March, a run that had interrupted a budding two-race winning sequence. Back in calmer waters and able to dictate her own fractions, she looked a different proposition.
Vives suggested the plan had been clear from the outset, emphasising the importance of securing a comfortable lead and allowing the filly to settle into her stride.
Now a stakes winner, Mony Mony boasts three victories from seven career starts, with earnings climbing beyond $215,000. Her latest effort not only reaffirmed her sprinting credentials but also hinted at further progression as the season unfolds.
Racing at Woodbine continues on Sunday with an eight-race programme, highlighted by the $125,000 Woodstock Stakes scheduled for Race 7 at 4:37 p.m. The first race is set for a 1:20 p.m. post.
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