Moonshine Memories © Benoit Photo

Moonshine Memories, who gained initial prominence by winning the Grade I Del Mar Debutante last summer, showed her quality again Thursday in scoring a hard-fought triumph over Steph Being Steph in Del Mar’s featured race, a 6 ½ -furlong contest for three-year-old fillies.

Sent postward at 1-2 odds, Moonshine Memories, piloted by Flavien Prat, was tested thoroughly in the stretch but prevailed by a head in 1:16.57 for the distance. Third was Well Hello, two and one-half length behind the runner-up and one and one-quarter lengths ahead of fourth-place Show It N Moe It. Scratched from the field was Treasuring.

Moonshine Memories, a daughter of Malibu Moon owned by the partnership of Bridlewood Farm, Magnier and Smith and trained by Simon Callaghan, began her career at Del Mar a year ago, winning a maiden event and then the Debutante. She  took the Grade I Chandelier at Santa Anita before running seventh in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. In two starts this year, she was second in the Angels Flight at Santa Anita  and fourth most recently in the Grade I Acorn at Belmont Park.

Moonshine Memories, winning for the fourth time in seven races, paid $3, $2.40 and $2.20. Steph Being Steph, who was handled by Stewart Elliott, returned $4.80 and $3.40, while Well Hello paid $3 to show.

With no perfect tickets, Friday’s Pick Six will feature a carryover of $56,639. Post time for the opener is 4 p.m.