by Kimberly French, USTA Web Newsroom Senior Correspondent

Williamsport, PA — His trainer thinks he will eat just about anything, but admits Moon Beam has a soft spot for a certain salty snack.

“We feed him a box of pretzels every day,” George Teague, Jr., the colt’s trainer, said with a chuckle. “He loves the heck out of those pretzels.”

Lisa Photo

Moon Beam debuted on June 28 with a 1:53.1 score in the Goshen Cup at The Meadowlands.

The 2-year-old pacer, owned by Brenda Teague of Houston, Delaware, Montrell Teague of Harrington, Delaware, Rodney Mitchell Inc., of Dover, Delaware and James Bernstein of Trumbull, Connecticut, has collected $170,150 from four victories and one second in five pari-mutual starts.

The big brown colt, by Dragon Again and out of Sun N Moon by Artsplace, was bred by Flintlock Farm Inc., of Wayne, Pennsylvania and has only raced in stakes during his fledgling career.

Initially, Teague was attracted to the colt because of his breeding. His dam, Sun N Moon, bankrolled $207,616 from 76 starts and produced three previous starters that have earned $528,257. His sire, Dragon Again, won over $2.3 million during his racing days and his progeny have amassed nearly $17 million.

“I liked the mare that he is out of and Dragon Again has done real well,” Teague said. “I just like everything about him. He’s a real big, handsome colt.”

When Moon Beam’s hooves strike the track, he is all business, but when he’s not at work, he likes to have fun.

“He’s very professional on the racetrack but in the barn he is really playful,” Teague said. “He is like a big kid and is a good sized colt for being a May foal.”

Right from the start, Teague admired his charge’s training habits.

“He’s always had a great attitude and trained like a good one,” Teague said. “Every time he is training, he’s right into the bit. He is two fingers to drive but will do anything you ask of him. He is already an excellent trainer and is one horse, I can actually say, has never had a bad day.”

After his second place finish to Dali in the Woodrow Wilson on August 3 at The Meadowlands, Teague decided Moon Beam would receive a little vacation. The colt was first-over off fast fractions and Dali followed his cover to cross the wire in front.

“That first-over thing was kind of a tough one but he still held pretty well,” Teague said. “So we let him off.”

The colt returned to the races in last Saturday’s (August 25) Metro eliminations at Mohawk Racetrack. Sitting near the back of the pack throughout the mile, he rallied from fifth place at the top of the stretch to reach the wire first in a lifetime best 1:52.2.

Moon Beam’s next engagement will be in the C$1 million Metro final, Canada’s premier event for 2-year-old pacers, at Mohawk on Saturday, September 1. If all goes well, the colt’s conditioner thinks he has a bright future.

“We are shooting him for the Metro,” Teague explained. “He does look like he has a pretty good career ahead of him.”