Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin had won two previous races on Saturday’s card at Aqueduct, and the 3,896 fans were fairly certain that Shadwell Stable’s Daaher would easily make it three on the day when he went to post in the 53rd running of the $80,200 Stymie Handicap.

After all, they made the winner of last fall’s Grade 1 Hill ‘n’ Dale Cigar Mile the 2-5 post-time favorite.

But Daaher and jockey Mike Luzzi were hooked early in the nine-furlong inner track feature by Temporary Saint and C.C. Lopez, forced into an opening quarter mile of :22.26 and wound up a tired third in a field of four as Winning Move Stable’s Malibu Moonshine surged by Temporary Saint for a 4 ½-length victory in 1:50.16.

The victory was the third of the afternoon for jockey Mario Pino, and the longest shot on the board returned $31.60 to win.

“The early fractions went a long way in his favor,” said winning trainer Gary Contessa. “I was watching the race on TV, and when I saw those orange blinkers coming in at the three-eighths pole, I thought `Wow! We could win this.’ He’s a late closer and I thought those two in front had to be getting tired. This horse has been a bridesmaid to many good horses. He was third in a Grade 1 (Suburban Handicap at Belmont Park behind Political Force and Fairbanks) and finished second in this race last year.

“When Daaher was entered, I was thinking about maybe an optional 75 claimer. But my philosophy is that I don’t duck one horse, and Daaher is only one horse.”

After the opening quarter, Luzzi was able to slow the pace down a bit, getting the half in :46.81 and three-quarters in 1:11.68, but the damage had already been done. As Daaher backed out, Temporary Saint took control. The early battle had taken it toll on him as well, however, and Pino sent Malibu Moonshine to the wire.

“The race set up real nice for us,” Pino said. “He warmed up beautifully. I was thinking, `He feels really good.’ I didn’t know if that meant he was going to win or not. But he ran well. As soon as he tipped out, I knew he was going to win.”

Daaher, who won four of seven starts last year, is now 0-for-2 in 2008, having lost his seasonal debut in Gulfstream Park Grade 1 Donn Handicap on February 2.

“We’ll look him over and re-group,” McLaughlin said. “He’s not the same, whether it’s two turns or something else fighting him. He did have surgery as a two-year-old on a knee, so we’ll have to look real close. Twenty-two and one didn’t help going that far, but he should have been able to run with those.”

Luzzi agreed.

“He always goes fast,” Luzzi said. “You can’t blame that (opening quarter). The horse that was second (Temporary Saint) was going faster than we were at one point. He let go of the bit and got to lugging in pretty good. At the three-eighths pole, I kind of knew I was in trouble. I was trying to motivate him again, but he was lugging in so bad, it was hard to push him forward.”

Evening Attire, the 10-year-old, was fourth, while Explosive Heat and Kenta Kun were scratched.