In the first major weekend of Kentucky Derby preps, 2-year-old champion Declan’s Moon remained unbeaten, winning his seasonal debut in the Santa Catalina at Santa Anita, Afleet Alex won his first start as a 3-year-old taking the Mountain Valley at Oaklawn Park, and High Fly was a prompt favorite in the Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream, where earlier on the card undefeated Lost in the Fog convinced his connections to pay the late $6,000 nomination fee to the Triple Crown by romping home in the Swale.
Curiously, Declan’s Moon and Afleet Alex were both wearing front wraps for the first time in their careers.
Declan’s Moon, 4-for-4 last year, was making his first start since the Dec. 18 Hollywood Futurity, and trainer Ron Ellis said he was only 90-percent fit for his return. Floated wide around the clubhouse turn by front-running Spanish Chestnut, Declan’s Moon rallied outside around the far turn as Going Wild came through along the rail.
At the top of the stretch, those three were on even terms, but Declan’s Moon pulled away through the final furlong to score by two lengths as the 4-5 favorite, running the mile-and-a-sixteenth in 1:42.2. Going Wild was second, three lengths clear of Spanish Chestnut.
“Hopefully, this race didn’t take too much out of him,” Ellis said. “He was pricking his ears at the end and this was just what I wanted.”
It was a solid return for the gelding trying to become the first 2-year-old champ to win the Derby since Spectacular Bid in 1979. Although Declan’s Moon benefited from racing on the best part of the track – almost all the winners at Santa Anita on Saturday came from off the pace on the outside – he beat a pair of stakes winners who between them had won their last five starts. He wasn’t particularly impressive galloping out, however, and will have just one more prep race before the Derby. Since 1947, only Sunny’s Halo in 1983 has won the Derby off just two preps as a 3-year-old.
In the Fountain of Youth, run for the first time at a mile-and-an-eighth, High Fly was making his first start since being transferred from trainer Bill White to Nick Zito’s barn. Off at even-money with Jerry Bailey riding for the first time, he tracked the early pace set by B.B. Best, moved to take command on the far turn, then held off Bandini, who was making his stakes debut for Todd Pletcher, by three-quarters of a length in a good final time of 1:49.3.
“He was real impressive,” Zito said. “Obviously he’s a top horse, the way he relaxed and had enough to finish. The Kentucky Derby could be a good way to go. I’d rather get through the Florida Derby before deciding.”
High Fly capped a big day at Gulfstream for Zito, who also saddled his 1.15M Giant’s Causeway colt, Noble Causeway, to win the eighth race, an allowance at a mile-and-an-eighth, by 31/4 lengths.
Afleet Alex was a surprise entrant in the Mountain Valley, as trainer Tim Ritchey had indicated the March 19 Rebel would be his first start of the year. With just two workouts under his belt since finishing second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile last October, Afleet Alex dropped back to last in the field of six, kicked into gear on the turn, then drew clear in the final furlong to score by 23/4 lengths in 1:09.2 for six furlongs as the 2-5 choice.
