Danzig Moon confirmed for Preakness

Danzig Moon “deserves one more chance” after finishing fifth in the Kentucky Derby (Reed Palmer/Churchill Downs) Danzig Moon (Malibu Moon), the fifth-place finisher in last Saturday’s Kentucky Derby (G1), will continue on the Triple Crown trail in next Saturday’s $1.5 million Preakness (G1) at Pimlico. “We are going,” said Norman Casse, assistant to his father, trainer Mark Casse, Saturday morning. “He came out of the Derby really well and deserves one more chance.” Second in the Blue Grass (G1) prior to his Derby run, Danzig Moon finished 6 1/2 lengths behind American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile). Julien Leparoux was aboard in the Derby will retain the mount for the Preakness. “We made the decision last night, but we wanted to give him another day to train before making the announcement,” Casse said. “He trained great this morning going a mile and a half in the first set.” Casse said Danzig Moon would have the day off Sunday and then gallop the next three mornings before shipping to Baltimore Wednesday after training hours.

Three other colts from the Kentucky Derby also confirmed for the Preakness
galloped after the morning renovation break.

American Pharoah galloped 1 3/8 miles with exercise rider Jorge Alvarez up,
while Dortmund (Big Brown) galloped a similar distance with Dana Barnes in the
saddle. Both colts are trained by Bob Baffert, who is scheduled to return to
Louisville from his Southern California base on Sunday night.

Firing Line (Line of David), the Kentucky Derby runner-up, galloped 1 1/2
miles under exercise rider Humberto Gomez for trainer Simon Callaghan.

Two other horses under consideration for the Preakness, Mr. Z (Malibu Moon)
and Tale of Verve (Tale of Ekati), galloped before the break.

Mr. Z, trained by D. Wayne Lukas, galloped a little more than a mile under
exercise rider Edvin Vargas. Thirteenth in the Kentucky Derby, Mr. Z is expected
to be part of a Lukas contingent headed to Maryland on Tuesday.

Tale of Verve, trained by Dallas Stewart, galloped 1 5/8 miles under Kortez
Walker. Stewart said the colt may work Sunday or Monday.

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