Declan's Moon Now Eligible for Breeders' Cup

Declan's Moon, the 2004 champion 2-year-old male, is now eligible to the Breeders' Cup by virtue of his nomination to the program as a horse of racing age.

Pam Blatz-Murff, senior vice president of Breeders' Cup operations, confirmed receipt of the $150,000 payment from Samantha Siegel of Jay Em Ess Stable. It places 4-year-old Declan's Moon, who wasn't nominated to the Breeders' Cup program as a foal, into the program for his entire racing career.

Declan's Moon is entered in the Aug. 20 Pat O'Brien Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. II) at Del Mar. Trained by Ron Ellis, the Malibu Moon   gelding finished second by a nose in an optional claiming test at Hollywood Park July 16. It was his first start since March 2005 because of a bone chip.

Should Declan's Moon be entered in a Breeders' Cup World Championships race, Jay Em Ess Stable would pay standard pre-entry and entry fees instead of a 9% supplemental fee to start.

In April, the 4-year-old Aragorn became the first horse of racing age to join the Breeders' Cup program. Breeders' Cup announced revised rules to its nomination program in April following approval by its board of directors. Under the revised system, after Dec. 15 of the foal's first year, owners of a non-nominated horse sired by a Breeders' Cup, European Breeders' Fund, or Common Fund stallion nominated in the year of conception may pay a one-time, $150,000 late nomination fee to place that horse into the Breeders' Cup program for its entire racing career.

Owners of a Thoroughbred sired by a non-nominated Breeders' Cup, EBF, or Common Fund stallion in the year of conception may also secure nomination into the Breeders' Cup program with a one-time, $250,000 late nomination payment.

With both scenarios, owners would pay standard pre-entry and entry fees to run in the Breeders' Cup World Championships and would be eligible for full purse and award monies in the Breeders' Cup Stakes Program.