2004 Eclipse Award-winning juvenile Declan's Moon has been retired from racing. According to the Blood Horse and the Country Life Farm website, he is coming home. The six-year-old gelding will be retired to his birth state of Maryland. He will spend the rest of his days at the Pons family's Merryland Farm.
Many people may consider Declan's Moon to be a flash in the pan. Just one of the many horses that have fallen off the Derby trail with an injury. However, to many involved in Maryland horse racing, he represents the hopes and dreams of big time racing. Bred in Maryland by Brice Ridgely and his wife at Spring Meadow Farm, and sold at the Fasig Tipton auction house in Timonium. Declan's Moon represents all that is good about the industry. Small time breeder, small time stallion, big time results. When the Ridgelys sent their mare Vee Vee Star to meet Malibu Moon, his fee was just $5,000. I could only imagine how happy they were when the Siegels (Jay Em Ess Stables) paid $125,000 for the colt.
Declan's Moon helped raise the profile of his sire Malibu Moon. I would know, I went out and bought a piece of a Malibu Moon myself, after seeing how impressive Declan looked. I think many others did too. Malibu Moon was sent from Triple A Maryland to the big leagues in Kentucky. My excitement over Declan's Moon, and his sire Malibu Moon helped draw my brother into being a racing fan too.
Declan's name hangs with his silks on the wall of the Fasig Tipton auction house in Timmonium for all the locals to see and remember. The great thing about this story is that a short ride down the road to Merryland Farm will get you the opportunity to not just talk about Declan, but to pet him and feed him carrots. I know I will be paying him visits, he is just five minutes from my house.
Thank you Declan's Moon, the Siegel family, and the Ponses for bring this guy back home!
3 comments:
What a great post--I was thrilled when I read that he was coming back East.
I worked at the sales in that Timonium pavilion...haven't been back there in over a decade. Afleet Alex, Declan's Moon...who's next?
Do go visit at Merryfield and take pictures to share with us...
I will be sure to make a visit to him at Merryland. I would even like to jump on his back for a quick walk around too (with the proper handler close by of course), if the good folks at Merryland would let me, I figure I am light enough to make weight for that ride!
It would be a personal highlight to say "yeah, thats a picture of me on a Champion" and add that photo to the group of winner circle pictures I have (and hope to add to) of his younger brother I own a piece of!
We hope Declan makes his fans as happy as he made us.
Samantha Siegel
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