By Steve Sherack
After getting the money in the 2012 GII Tampa Bay Derby with Prospective (Malibu Moon), it should be safe to say that trainer Mark Casse and owner John Oxley may be still feeling somewhat, ahem, 'over the moon' heading into Saturday's renewal.
The duo will be well-represented once again by a pair of colts by the leading Spendthrift stallion–headed by the promising Ontario-bred Danzig Moon (Malibu Moon)–a dazzling maiden winner going a mile at Gulfstream in his sophomore bow Feb. 7 (video).
“We've always been really high on him,” Casse commented. “From the beginning, he was on our 'A' team.”
A flat fourth at odds of 7-2 in his six-furlong Keeneland unveiling Oct. 3, the handsome bay improved to finish a good second after a slow start when stretched to a mile at Churchill 23 days later. Scratched from Woodbine's Coronation Futurity in late November with a foot abscess, the $160,000 KEESEP purchase blew the doors off with a 4 3/4-length graduation after making a bold four-wide sweep beneath Julien Leparoux on the far turn last time.
Danzig Moon, produced by the Danzig mare Leaveminthedust, hails from a deep Phipps female family (free brisnet.com catalogue-style pedigree). Champions Inside Information and Smuggler as well as MGISW Educated Risk can all be found under his third dam Pure Profit (Key to the Mint).
“We were really disappointed in his first start at Keeneland, but his second start at Churchill was much better, especially after hitting the side of the gate at the start,” Casse continued. “We were expecting a big effort out of him last time. Not to sound cocky, but his effort didn't surprise us at all. He always trains really well. He's a colt that's grown up. He's a big leggy colt and he's started to fill in.”
The hard-knocking Prospective, meanwhile, went on to add wins in the GIII Ohio Derby, Delta Mile S. and Victoria Park S. before retiring to Ocala Stud with a record of 17-7-2-1 and earnings of $719,130.
“I always looked at Prospective and considered him to be an overachiever,” Casse said. “He would always train average, but run well. This horse [Danzig Moon] trains like a good horse. We're throwing a lot at him on Saturday. Mentally, is he ready? That's the question. In the end, if he stays healthy, I think you'll be reading about him. He's a really talented horse.”
Leparoux retains the mount on Danzig Moon this weekend.
Moonlight Bandit (Malibu Moon), a smart graduate second out at Churchill Downs last October, will be supplemented to the Tampa Bay Derby after firing a five-furlong bullet in 1:00 (1/25) at Palm Meadows Feb. 28. The $190,000 FTKOCT acquisition enters off a third-place finish in a grassy optional claimer in Hallandale Feb. 8. Jose Lezcano will ride.
“Mr. Oxley has done it once before,” Casse said of Oxley's memorable win with Monarchos in the 2001 GI Kentucky Derby. “We want him to do it again. He's excited. We're excited. This is a big weekend for us.”
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