Magnum Moon rises in Arkansas Derby, wins another for Pletcher
Magnum Moon will head to the 2018 Kentucky Derby with plenty of fanfare — and room to grow — as the undefeated winner of Saturday’s Grade 1, $1 million Arkansas Derby.
Un-raced at age 2, but now 4-for-4 as a sophomore, the colt held a commanding lead at the top of the Oaklawn Park stretch and grew his margin despite erring out in the lane.
Jockey Luis Saez said Magnum Moon was simply looking at marks left by the starting gate when he drifted out for the rail.
“That’s why you have to hit him a little — so he can straighten," Saez said. "But he was easy. He was pretty nice.”
The final time for 1 1/8 miles was 1:49.86, and four lengths behind the winner, it came down to a photo for second. Quip edged Solomini, and both of those should be on to the May 5 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs as well. With Combatant a close fourth, the Steve Asmussen trainee — and the barn as a whole — is just outside the Top 20 in points.
This one was never really in doubt.
"Very pleased with the outcome," Pletcher said. "A little concerned that he drifted out the last part, but it looked liked he sort of halfway thought about jumping over the tire marks when he went the by the eighth pole where the gate was and sort of skipped over those. I think he was maybe just drifting away from that.
"Aside from that, I thought he finished with good energy and was pulling away from some nice horses. He showed his versatility. He's won a number of different ways now and I think he's proven that he's the kind of horse that doesn't need the race to unfold a certain way, that he's able to kind of make his own race."
A son of Malibu Moon campaigned by Rob and Lawana Low, Magnum Moon shot to the early lead and clicked off easy opening fractions of a quarter mile in 23.34 seconds before completing the half in 48.60. Quip pulled even entering the turn, but Magnum Moon brushed off his rival and made it an Oaklawn Park double having also taken last month's Rebel Stakes (G2).
"It was not the plan," Saez said of a front-running effort. "I thought there was going to be a little speed, but we were in the position. He broke so sharp. He was right there. I wasn't going to choke him. He stayed right there, and he was comfortable."
The last horse to win both of those races on his way to Churchill Downs: American Pharoah. Perhaps more relevant to Magnum Moon, who's up against the so-called "Curse of Apollo," is that Curlin swept the 2007 Rebel and Arkansas Derby having not raced at age 2.