Much Rejoicing became the newest stakes winner for Distorted Humor with a 1 1/4 length victory in the $60,000 Glia S. at Belmont Park on May 13. The champion sire is once again having an excellent year for WinStar Farm; he currently ranks sixth nationally in earnings, with six stakes winners, led by Machen, recent winner of the Grade 3 Derby Trial at Churchill Downs.
The Glia, at six furlongs over the firm inner turf course, marked the first stakes victory and first start on the grass for Much Rejoicing. She had to overcome some bumping at the start, but recovered nicely to
be in third, just two lengths off the lead at the halfway point of the race. Jockey Alan Garcia called on her coming into the stretch, and the chestnut filly responded to take command about a sixteenth from the wire, edging clear late to stop the clock in 1:08.44. Her Beyer Speed Figure of 90 is tops in her career.
Phillips Racing Partnership bred Much Rejoicing. The filly is out of Phillips’ 1999 Champion Female Turf horse Soaring Softly, who accounted for the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1), the Flower Bowl I. (G1), New York H. (G2), Sheepshead Bay H. (G2), and Vineland H. during her championship season. Ovearll, she won nine of 16 starts and earned $1.27 million.
With the win, Much Rejoicing has now won four of eight starts, earning $123,378 for her owner AJ Suited Racing Stable and trainer James Toner. Toner bought Much Rejoicing at the 2008 Keeneland September yearling sale for $385,000.
