WEST/DECLAN'S MOON DOMINATES SANTA CATALINA - Trainer Ron Ellis was admittedly a bit nervous as unbeaten 2-year-old champion Declan's Moon made his 2005 debut in Saturday's Santa Catalina Stakes (Grade II) at Santa Anita.

Ellis fretted about the fitness of the Jay Em Ess Stable's star, which he estimated to be about "90 to 95 percent" heading into the race. But it turned out that Ellis had little to be concerned about.

Declan's Moon launched a powerful rally from just off the pace to dispose of Sham Stakes winner Going Wild and San Rafael (GII) winner Spanish Chestnut on his way to a two length victory in the Santa Catalina under jockey Victor Espinoza. The gelded son of Malibu Moon covered a mile and a sixteenth in 1:42.41 as he won for the fifth time in as many races. His next outing is expected to the Santa Anita Derby (GI) on April 9.

"Hopefully this race didn't take too much out of him," said Ellis. "He was pricking his ears down there at the end and hopefully this was just what I wanted."

"Each race he's getting better," said Espinoza. "I was really pleased with the way he ran today with the time off he had. He was unbelievable. He's learning more about how to run."

Trainer D. Wayne Lukas said runner-up Going Wild would return to face Declan's Moon in the Santa Anita Derby, and trainer Patrick Biancone said on Sunday that Spanish Chestnut would also run in that 1 1/8-mile race.

The Santa Catalina was marred by a fatal injury suffered by Snack, a two-time stakes winner this winter at Turfway Park who was making his California debut after being purchased privately and turned him over to trainer Doug O'Neill. The Indiana-bred colt broke his right front ankle near the far turn and was euthanized after the race.

Also on Saturday, Harris Farms' unbeaten High Standards rallied to score a 2 ½ -length victory in the $100,000 Baldwin Stakes, which was switched from Santa Anita's downhill turf course to the main track.

Edgar Prado rode the California-bred High Brite gelding in his successful stakes debut for trainer Martin Jones. Talkin To John was second and Run Thruthe Sun was third. Favored Chandtrue flashed early speed, but faded to finish sixth in the 6 ½-furlong race.

EAST/HIGH FLY WINS, LOST IN THE FOG DAZZLES - Pin Oak Farm's High Fly returned to form with a stylish victory in Saturday's Fountain of Youth (GII) at Gulfstream Park, but many observers were talking about wins by Lost In The Fog and Noble Causeway by the end of the day.

Harry Aleo's unbeaten Lost In The Fog romped in the seven furlong Swale (GII) to put himself on the Kentucky Derby trail and the Nick Zito-trained Noble Causeway probably earned a start in stakes company with a sharp allowance victory.

High Fly, making his first start for trainer Nick Zito, rebounded nicely from his first career loss in the Holy Bull (GIII) as he held off Bandini to win the 1 1/8-mile Fountain of Youth by three-quarters of a length under jockey Jerry Bailey. Pacesetter B.B. Best finished third as the winner covered the distance in 1:49.70. The $1 million Florida Derby (GI) on April 2 is expected to be the next start for High Fly.

Lost In The Fog, a dazzling front-running winner in his first three races, rated behind the early pace for the first time in his four-race career as the Greg Gilchrist-trained son of Lost Soldier rolled to a 4 ¾-length victory over Around The Cape in the Swale. The winner covered the distance in 1:22.21 in an effort that Gilchrist said would earn Lost In The Fog a late nomination to the Kentucky Derby and Visa Triple Crown at a cost of $6,000.

"The Florida Derby is a possibility," said Gilchrist. "I would say he went from being 75-25 to being 50-50 for the Florida Derby and we will put up the $6,000."

Lost In The Fog has won his four races by a combined margin of 31 ½-lengths.

Earlier on the card, Noble Causeway rallied under Pat Day to win a 1 1/8-mile allowance race by 3 ¼-lengths, his second consecutive victory at the distance. He joins a group of Zito-trained Derby hopefuls that includes High Fly, Sun King and Andromeda's Hero.

At Maryland's Laurel Race Course, Diamond Wildcat jumped to the front and rolled to an eight-length victory in the $50,000 Horatius Stakes at Laurel Park. The Ben Perkins-trained son of Forest Wildcat covered six furlongs in 1:11.91 under jockey Mario Pino.

CENTRAL/AFLEET ALEX SIZZLES, MAGNA GRADUATE CRUISES - Cash Is King Stable's Afleet Alex, a finalist for last year's Eclipse Award for champion 2-year-old that went to Declan's Moon, launched his journey to Kentucky Derby 131 with a sharp victory in the $50,000 Mountain Valley Stakes at Oaklawn Park.

The son of Northern Afleet rallied from last under jockey Jeremy Rose overhaul Razor in the stretch and win by 2 ¾-lengths. The Tim Ritchey-trained son of Northern Afleet covered the six-furlong distance in a stakes-record 1:09.52. He worked out an additional eighth of a mile and was timed in 1:22.60 for seven furlongs.

"Alex ran awesome," Rose said. "He ran with plenty of gas left in the tank."

Ritchey plans to run Afleet Alex next in the Rebel (GIII) on April 19, where he faces a showdown with unbeaten Rockport Harbor and Southwest winner Greater Good.

At Northern Kentucky's Turfway Park, Elisabeth Alexander's Magna Graduate took top honors in the $100,000 John Battaglia Memorial with an authoritative 3 ¾-length victory under leading rider Dean Sarvis. New York invader Pavo rallied to finish second, while favored Ultimate ran third as the winner covered the mile and a sixteenth in 1:43.94.

The Patrick Byrne-trained colt will run next in Turfway's Lane's End (GII) on March 26.

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