Graham Motion, trainer of Animal Kingdom, says that the Kentucky Derby winner will begin galloping at the Fair Hill Training Center in Maryland on Monday. The son of Leroidesanimaux has not raced since incurring a slab fracture to his left hind leg that required surgery after the Belmont Stakes in June.

Motion told Daily Racing Form that Animal Kingdom, also runner-up in the Preakness, has been jogging for a month and has been on Aquatred, an underwater treadmill that allows horses to exercise in a controlled environment. The trainer said he would like to keep the colt at Fair Hill until the end of December, then ship to Frank Stronach's Palm Meadows Training Center in Boynton Beach, possibly with a workout or two under his belt. Motion said he expects Animal Kingdom to be ready for a race by the end of January or early February.

Barry Irwin, head of Team Valor International, the syndicate that owns Animal Kingdom, said that the $10 million Dubai World Cup at Meydan on March 24 could be the colt's first major objective.