FIFTH-PLACE KENTUCKY DERBY FINISHER DANZIG MOON A GO FOR THE PREAKNESS

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Saturday, May 9, 2015) – Danzig Moon, the fifth-place finisher in last Saturday’s Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI), will continue on the Triple Crown trail.

“We are going,” said Norman Casse, assistant to his father, trainer Mark Casse. “He came out of the Derby really well and deserves one more chance.”

Second in the Blue Grass (GI) prior to his Derby run, Danzig Moon finished 6 ½ lengths behind American Pharoah. 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.

Derby 141 winner American Pharoah galloped a mile and three-eighths with exercise rider Jorge Alvarez up. Third-place finisher Dortmund 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.

Arnold Zetcher’s Firing Line, the Kentucky Derby runner-up, galloped 1 ½ miles under exercise rider Humberto Gomez for trainer Simon Callaghan.

Two other horses under consideration for the Preakness, Zayat Stables’ Mr. Z and Charles Fipke’s Tale of Verve, 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 continent headed to Maryland on Tuesday.

Tale of Verve, trained by Dallas Stewart, galloped a mile and five-eighths under Kortez Walker. Stewart said the colt may work Sunday or Monday.