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Magnum Moon is one of the hottest horses entering the Kentucky Derby. The horse has won four straight races including the Arkansas Derby and Rebel Stakes. Magnum Moon is one of four horses trained by Todd Pletcher heading into Churchill Downs.
Like Justify, Magnum Moon is also looking to break Apollo's Curse as no horse has won without racing as a two-year-old since 1882. Pletcher spoke with the USA Today about how Magnum Moon is something special.
“Magnum Moon is an impressive individual,” Pletcher explained to USA Today. “I can remember seeing him at my dad’s training center in December as a yearling when he was just starting to gallop, and he’s just one of those horses who has a tremendous presence about him. He gets over the ground really well. We felt going all the way back to then that he hopefully could turn out to be something special, and he has.”
Magnum Moon has experienced jockey Luis Saez on the saddle, and the backing of Robert and Lawana Low. The Lows look like their $380,000 investment in Magnum Moon has already paid off. The Kentucky Derby details why Magnum Moon has emerged as one of the favorites heading into Churchill Downs.
"Magnum Moon was a debut winner at Gulfstream in January posting a 99 BRIS Speed figure," The Kentucky Derby notes. "He then came from off the pace to win an allowance races at 1-5 odds at Tampa Bay Downs in February. Pletcher than gave the Malibu Moon colt his first stakes try, and it was another success, going clear and pulling away in the stretch to defeat the favorite Solomini by more than 3 lengths in the Rebel while posting a 100 BRIS Speed figure. The Arkansas Derby solidified Magnum Moon as one of the Derby favorites, and he’ll have to buck history to win the 2018 Kentucky Derby. No horse since Apollo in 1882 has won the Kentucky Derby without a start as a 2-year-old, but Magnum Moon will attempt to break the ‘Curse of Apollo’ on May 5 when he makes his Run for the Roses. He’ll also try to become the fourth winner of the Rebel and Arkansas Derby to capture the Kentucky Derby, following Sunny's Halo (1983), Smarty Jones (2004) and American Pharoah (2015)."
At times, Magnum Moon has been overshadowed by some of Pletcher's other horses including the favorite, Justify. Magnum Moon entered race day fourth in the odds to win the Run for the Roses. With the horses recent hot streak combined with Pletcher's training, Magnum Moon has every opportunity to be wearing roses after the 2018 Kentucky Derby. Click the next button to learn more about Magnum Moon's jockey, trainer and owners.