Kentucky Derby door opens a crack for Casse

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Mark Casse had been resigned to missing the Kentucky Derby chase this year. But at least one promising colt has him thinking he might have a shot to make the May 2 Derby after all.

A 4 3/4-length victory by Danzig Moon in a one-mile maiden race Saturday at Gulfstream Park has earned the son of Malibu Moon a berth in the March 7 Tampa Bay Derby, said Casse.

“It’s been a funny year,” Casse said early this week from his Ocala, Fla., base. “I just decided if it works, it works, and if not, we won’t push it. For a while it looked like we weren’t going to have anything.”

The win Saturday came in the third start for Danzig Moon. He finished fourth going six furlongs last fall at Keeneland in his debut and second to Island Town going a mile at Churchill Downs in his second start.

“We’ve always thought a lot of him,” Casse said. “We were shocked he didn’t run better in his first start at Keeneland. In his second start at Churchill Downs, he hit the side of gate and got beat by a nice horse.”

Danzig Moon, based at the Palm Meadows training center with Casse’s son and assistant, Norman, earned an 89 Beyer Speed Figure in his Saturday win. The Ontario-bred colt is owned by John Oxley, who won the 2001 Kentucky Derby with Monarchos.

“Norman is over the moon about him, no pun intended,” Casse said. “We brought the colt to Toronto last summer and intended to run him in the Coronation, but he got a foot abscess, so we sent him here to Ocala to give him some time.”

Casse won a Jan. 31 maiden race at Oaklawn Park with Conquest Curlinate, who also could get a shot in a Derby prep, he said.

“Obviously we’ve got to have everything go right from here on out, like everyone else, but yeah, getting to the Derby is a possibility,” he said.