Eden's Moon captures the G2 San Clemente H.

Eden's Moon made her grass debut a winning one with a front-running victory in the $150,000 San Clemente H. (G2) July 22 at Del Mar. The 3-year-old daughter of Malibu Moon took charge leaving the gate and never looked back in winning by 1 ¼ lengths in 1:34.38 for the mile over the firm turf to give Bob Baffert his first-ever San Clemente win.

Eden's Moon was pressed while between horse early, but cleared off by a length after a half mile in 47 seconds. Well-handled by Rafael Bejarano, she drew off by two lengths in the stretch and held her foes at bay to the wire.

“She surprised me today," Bejarano said. "She broke so good and went to the front easy. She was comfortable. I thought maybe we’re going a little fast, but she was doing it so well I just let her run. She’s a nice filly; there’s no doubt about that. And she likes the grass. We know that now, too.”

Bred in Florida by Bridlewood Farm, Eden's Moon won the Grade 1 Las Virgenes S. last winter at Santa Anita, was third in the Santa Anita Oaks (G1) this spring, and most recently beaten just a nose in the Hollywood Oaks (G2) June 12.

“I didn’t know what to do with her down here (at Del Mar), but we worked her on the turf and she liked it" said Baffert, referring to a half-mile drill in :48 2/5 July 16. “She likes a firmer surface, turf or dirt, and now we know we have options with her. We have the (Del Mar) Oaks (G1, on Aug. 18) here, so we can think about that.”

Eden’s Moon, a $390,000 purchase at the 2011 Midlantic sale of two-year-olds in training, collected a purse of $90,000 Sunday to increase her career earnings to $358,600 for her owner Kaleem Shah.