Much Rejoicing became the newest Darby Dan-produced stakes winner on May 13, with a daylight length victory in the $60,000 Glia S. at Belmont Park. The 4-year-old filly was bred, born, raised and sold by Darby Dan Farm.

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, one of the best six-furlong times of the current Belmont meet. Her Beyer Speed Figure of 90 is tops in her career.

Darby Dan's owner John Phillips bred Much Rejoicing in the name of Phillips Racing Partnership. The filly by Distorted Humor 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. Overall, she won nine of 16 starts and earned $1.27 million. All five of Soaring Softly's offspring that have made at least two starts are winners, including the stakes-placed Shine Softly, a half-sister to Much Rejoicing.

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 from the Darby Dan consignment at the 2008 Keeneland September yearling sale for $385,000. She is the fourth stakes winner this season who was sold by Darby Dan.