Giant Moon, an undefeated New York-bred and Kentucky Derby prospect, worked five furlongs in 1:01.60 on Belmont Park’s training track Feb. 15.
With exercise rider Cesar Correa in the saddle, Giant Moon, a son of Giant's Causeway , worked in company with New York-bred maiden Mighty Morris. The workmates finished on even terms. Giant Moon’s final time on the fast track was the third-fastest of 27 at the distance.
Giant Moon’s trainer, Richard Schosberg, said he intends to breeze the Count Fleet winner two or three more times before the colt’s next start in the $250,000 Gotham (gr. III) at Aqueduct March 8. Nominations for the Gotham close Feb. 23. Schosberg is using the 1 1/16-mile Gotham on the inner track as a steppingstone to the $750,000 Wood Memorial (gr.I) at Aqueduct April 5. The 1 1/8-mile Wood Memorial on the main track is New York’s final prep for the Kentucky Derby (gr.I) at Churchill Downs May 3.
Giant Moon’s Feb. 15 work was his fourth since winning the ungraded Count Fleet Stakes at Aqueduct Jan. 5. The Count Fleet was Giant Moon’s fourth win for his owner-breeder, Albert Fried Jr. The colt’s previous victories came in a maiden race, and the restricted Sleepy Hollow and Damon Runyon Stakes. By virtue of those wins, Giant Moon is a lock to be named top 2-year-old New York-bred of 2007 when the winners are announced in the spring.
“He is sitting on a roll,” Schosberg said Feb. 15 after the work. “He has shown improvement in each race, physically and mentally. We’ll see how far that takes us. He’s been more business in his works and has sharpened up mentally with each of his races.”
When the initial Churchill Downs’ Kentucky Derby Future Wager pool concluded Feb. 10, Giant Moon, who was listed at 20-1 in the morning-line, closed at 69-1.
