by Jeff Lowe

Owners Mace and Samantha Siegel have retired Declan’s Moon, the 2004 champion two-year-old male.

The Malibu Moon gelding finished last of seven in an optional-claiming race on June 26 at Hollywood Park, his fifth consecutive unplaced finish dating back to July 2007.

Declan’s Moon strung together victories in the Del Mar Futurity (G2), Hollywood Prevue Stakes (G3), and Hollywood Futurity (G1) in winning all four of his starts as a two-year-old for trainer Ron Ellis. He sewed up the Eclipse Award by defeating Bessemer Trust Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) winner Wilko, Champagne Stakes (G1) winner Proud Accolade, and eventual Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Giacomo in the Hollywood Futurity. He was Mace Siegel’s first champion after more than 40 years as an owner.

After a 2 1/2-month break, Declan’s Moon began his three-year-old season in March 2005 with a two-length win in the Santa Catalina Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita Park. Days later, a non-displaced chip was discovered in his left knee, which knocked him out of the Kentucky Derby. Cannon bone issues kept him from returning to the races until July 2006, and he won only one of his final 13 starts.

“He just couldn’t get back to the horse he was,” Mace Siegel said on Monday. “When he was at his best, he brought us a lot of joy, and he did it with style—he made it look so easy. The [Del Mar Futurity] was a terrific race because [trainer Bob] Baffert had a two-year-old [Roman Ruler] that people were willing to concede was the best in the world. We looked him in the eye and beat him.

“Of course, the Hollywood Futurity was great and he started as a three-year-old with a very easy win, but it was on a sealed track and he developed a chip and other problems and it was just one problem after the other. He finally wound up with his wind affected somehow.”

The Siegels have not decided where they will send Declan’s Moon for his retirement.

“If the Kentucky Horse Park wants him, of course, we’d like to see him there,” Mace Siegel said. “If not, we’d probably send him back to Maryland where he was bred. Of course, the Pons family [the owners of Country Life Farm in Bel Air, Maryland] are wonderful people. I think they would make him a wonderful home. I haven’t spoken to either one of them yet, but that’s my thinking.”

Bred in Maryland by Brice Ridgely, Declan’s Moon won six of 18 career starts and earned $705,647.

Jeff Lowe is a Thoroughbred Times staff writer