Churchill Downs Closing Day Stakes Recap and Quotes: Moonlight Wins $249,835 Cherokee Mile on Closing Day at Churchill Downs

Nov 30, 2025

Moonlight rallied past 6-5 pacesetting favorite Dragoon Guard in deep stretch to win Sunday’s second running of the $249,835 Cherokee Mile at Churchill Downs on closing day of the 136th Fall Meet by 1 ½ lengths.

Moonlight, a 4-year-old son of Audible, ran one mile on a “fast” track in 1:34.41, which bested Scotland’s time of 1:34.60 in last year’s inaugural Cherokee Mile. Jose Ortiz rode the winner for trainer Chris Block and owner Kiki Courtelis’ Town and Country Racing LLC.

Breaking from post No. 3 in the one-turn mile, Moonlight relaxed in eighth position down the backstretch as Dragoon Guard, the winner of last year’s $300,000 Indiana Derby (Grade III) and $500,000 West Virginia Derby (GIII), led the field of 11 older horses through fractions of :22.98, :45.29 and 1:09.71. Moonlight wasn’t asked for his best run until the top of the stretch with a quarter mile to run. A giant gap opened for Moonlight and he split between Track Mate and This Is Uscar with a three-wide move to engage the streaking Dragoon Guard. He caught the leader inside the final 100 yards and cruised from there to the wire.

“He broke well and I was confident he’d run a big race,” Ortiz said. “Around the three-eighths pole I found a seam, and he went right through it. I thought by the time I got to the quarter pole I had enough horse under me to run down (Dragoon Guard).”

The first prize was $146,560 and hiked Moonlight’s bankroll to $528,402 with a record of 5-3-2 from 18 starts. It was his first stakes win and third win in five starts at Churchill Downs. Previously, Moonlight finished fifth in the $350,000 Fayette (GIII) at Keeneland on Oct. 25.

“Jose looked like he had a ton of horse there from start to finish,” Block said. “I thought around the quarter pole he might be able to catch (Dragoon Guard) and he was able to run him down late. He loves this track here at Churchill. He’s been training great over it going into this race. We’ll take him down to Fair Grounds this winter and hope to come back to Churchill in the spring.”

Moonlight returned $15.16, $4.92 and $3.54 as the 6-1 fourth betting choice. Dragoon, with Irad Ortiz Jr. up, paid $3.24 and $2.66. This Is Uscar, ridden by Jaime Torres at 4-1, was another 2 ½ lengths back in third and paid $3.42 to show.

Banjo Chris was fourth and was followed by Multitask, Trademark, Track Mate, Will Take It, defending stakes champion Scotland, Secret Chat and Implementation.

Moonlight, a gray or roan out of the Tapit mare Sundown, was bred in Kentucky by Peter E. Blum Thoroughbreds LLC.

Irad Ortiz Jr. was the leading rider of the 26-day Fall Meet with 46 trips to the winner’s circle – the first Churchill Downs riding title for the 33-year-old native of Puerto Rico since he relocated to Kentucky from New York this fall. His younger brother Jose Ortiz was second with 37 wins.

Louisville native Brad Cox, 45, collected his 10th local leading trainer crown with 21 wins, seven more than runner-up Brendan Walsh.

Godolphin LLC was the leading owner at Churchill Downs for the fifth time with seven wins.

Racing on the Kentucky circuit will shift north to Turfway Park in Florence on Wednesday at 5:55 p.m. (all times Eastern) on a Wednesday-Saturday schedule for the Holiday Meet (Dec. 3-27) and Winter/Spring Meet (Jan. 1-March 28). The first day of the 2026 Spring Meet at Churchill Downs is Saturday, April 25, which kicks off Kentucky Derby Week festivities. The 152nd running of the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (Grade I) is set for Saturday, May 2.

CHEROKEE MILE QUOTES

Jose Ortiz, jockey, Moonlight, winner: “He broke well and I was confident he’d run a big race. Around the three-eighths pole I found a seam, and he went right through it. I thought by the time I got to the quarter pole I had enough horse under me to run down (Dragoon Guard).”

Chris Block, trainer, Moonlight, winner: “Jose (Ortiz) looked like he had a ton of horse there from start to finish. I thought around the quarter pole he might be able to catch (Dragoon Guard) and he was able to run him down late. He loves this track here at Churchill. He’s been training great over it going into this race. We’ll take him down to Fair Grounds this winter and hope to come back to Churchill in the spring.”