Moonlit Notion, a 3-year-old colt who is undefeated in six starts, has recovered from illness and returned to training for at Charles Town for Tim Grams, his trainer who owns and bred the horse with his wife, Judith.
His first breeze after his recovery was three furlongs in 37.6 seconds on Aug. 30. He went the same distance in 36.2 seconds Saturday.
"We're going to see if we can have him ready maybe for the (West Virginia Breeders') Classic races in October," Grams told Horse Racing Nation on Friday. "But I'm not sure we'll be ready or not."
Moonlit Notion debuted in November with a 4 1/2-length win in a maiden special weight at Charles Town. Then came four allowance victories and, in his most recent start, a 2 3/4-length win in a Charles Town for West Virginia-breds.
Grams said Moonlit Notion came down with a virus, which was followed by impaction, which required surgery. He recuperated on one of the Gramses' two West Virginia farms.
"He was (uncomfortable), and he lost so much weight, lost a lot of condition," Grams said. "So we just had to kind of bring him back slowly."
Judith Grams trained Moonlit Notion at the farm for about a month before he returned to the track.
Everything has gone well for him there, Grams said. "He's really happy. He actually looks, on the track, he looks great."
Grams, a Maryland native who has been training in West Virginia since 1996, said he doesn't recall having a horse start with such a winning streak, though he's had "a couple" who won nine or 10 in a row.
Moonlit Notion was sired by Great Notion. Grams trained his multiple stakes-winning dam Moonlit Song, also a homebred.
He has a 4-year-old full sister, Moonlit Kiss, who has hit the board in 13 of 15 starts. And Moonlit Song also has a yearling by Twirling Candy.
Grams said Moonlit Kiss likely would start in an allowance this week and then aim for a 4 1/2-furlong sprint on Classics day.
