Oxley Hopes Danzig Moon Follows Monarchos

“Nothing can be more exciting, more incredible, more thrilling, more astonishing, more unbelievable. There’s nothing like winning the Kentucky Derby. It takes you off the planet and puts you into a new orbit.”

While most Thoroughbred owners dream of what it would be like to win the Run for the Roses, John Oxley is in the elite club of those that have actually accomplished the other-worldly achievement. The quote above came from Oxley as he sat on the podium of the post-Derby press conference in 2001 after his Monarchos   upset favorite Point Given  . To make matters even dreamier, Oxley owned a 24% stake in Invisible Ink, who finished second.

Now, 14 years later, Oxley is back with his best chance to repeat that magical experience.Danzig Moon, second to Carpe Diem in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I), will take Oxley and his wife, Debby, from their farm near Midway, Ky., to Louisville for the May 2 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I). The colt’s staying power and pedigree give the Oxleys hope.

“This horse doesn’t tire,” said Oxley. “We feel he’s a mile-and-a-quarter horse. I like what I see. We’re a dark horse, for sure. I can’t remember a field this strong. Although I’m not expecting to win, we could win. I do think he will run very well.”

Oxley, who founded the natural gas exploration business Oxley Petroleum, hails from Tulsa, Okla., and remembers listening to the radio in 1946 when Assault won the Kentucky Derby. That was the day he became a racing fan. Eight years later his father took him to his first Derby, which was won by Determine who, like Monarchos, was a gray colt.

Oxley, a champion polo player who splits time between Midway and Florida, bought his first horse in the early 1970s. Named Port Everglades, the horse won a few minor races and Oxley began to get Derby dreams. Port Everglades then tried an allowance contest, where he ran fourth behind Forego. The Derby dream didn’t happen that year, but stayed strong inside Oxley. His first opportunity came in 1995 when both Jambalaya Jazz and Pyramid Peak made the big dance, with both finishing well back.

The Oxleys have been no strangers to winner’s circles after prominent races. Their Beautiful Pleasure won the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (gr. I) and an Eclipse Award. Gal in a Ruckus won the Kentucky Oaks (gr. I). Sky Mesa   took the Hopeful Stakes (gr. I); and Booklet the Fountain of Youth Stakes (gr. I). Following a dry period with their trainer John Ward Jr., who eventually left training to become executive director of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, the Oxleys hitched their wagon to Mark Casse, the Canadian-based trainer who has taken the U.S. by storm over the past few seasons.

Casse selected Danzig Moon out of the 2013 Keeneland September yearling sale for $160,000, and the son of Malibu Moon  —Leaveminthedust, by Danzig, has proven to be a nice purchase.

“I give Mark all the credit,” said Oxley. “I didn’t even see the colt until he was training at Churchill Downs before his first race. We like Malibu Moon (who sired 2013 Derby winner Orb  ) a lot. We’ve bought quite a few of them at the sales and have also bred to him.”

After two competitive races last year, Danzig Moon broke his maiden first time out this season, but finished a well-beaten fourth behind Carpe Diem in the Tampa Bay Derby (gr. II) before his Blue Grass effort. Danzig Moon was found to have a high white blood cell count after the Tampa race, but recovered quickly and fulfilled his connections plans to run him at Keeneland.

“I thought I was out of Derby horses after the Florida race,” noted Oxley. “But he’s trained remarkably well since. He ran very wide in the Blue Grass. We have to get a good trip like we did with Monarchos. And if some of the big ones get in trouble, you never know.

“The 14 years have gone by quickly in a way, but by the same token it’s taken a long time since we’ve gotten back to the Derby with a real contender. ”