Is Giant Moon the real deal?

The first stakes race of the year in New York for 3-year-olds was run last Saturday, and we it looks like we have a serious Kentucky Derby contender emerging from the Inner Track at Aqueduct. And, yes, he's a New York-bred.

Giant Moon kept his record unblemished at 4-for-4 with a gritty victory in the Count Fleet under Ramon Dominguez. Granted, he barely beat the average Spanky Fischbein, earning a mediocre 92 Beyer Speed Figure, but Giant Moon should continue to improve with maturity and he's in excellent hands with underrated trainer Rick Schosberg. It was Giant Moon's first start outside the state-bred ranks.

I caught the Count Fleet at The Palms, which is the most convenient race and sports book to my apartment. It was a good thing they were all standing in the gate as I arrived at the book, shutting me out from betting, because I wasn't a believer in Giant Moon. I was prepared to bet Roman Emperor, who finished flat third at 2-1. Barrier Reef, a green but impressive recent maiden winner owned by Darley Stable, finished a disappointing fourth at 5-2. By Monday, Giant Moon was listed at 75-1 in the Kentucky Derby future odds over at the Wynn (Pyro is the current favorite there at 15-1).

Giant Moon certainly isn't your average New York-bred; he's by Giant's Causeway, one of the leading sires in the worldm and a mile a quarter should be within his reach by the spring. Schosberg said the Grade III Gotham Stakes is next on the colt's itinerary, meaning he’ll skip the Feb. 2 Whirlaway.

Schosberg is certainly capable of handling a top horse and has names like Maria's Mon and Affirmed Success on his training resume. It will be interesting to see if Giant Moon can take another leap forward in the Gotham, where the competition figures to be much tougher.