A two-time Preakness-winning jockey advised a Preakness-winning trainer that the horseman's first Kentucky Derby winner is worthy of entering the middle jewel of racing's Triple Crown.
In other words, look for Mystik Dan in the starting gate for the 149th Preakness Stakes on Saturday at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore.
Robby Albarado, a two-time Oaklawn riding champion, gave Kenny McPeek good news after a mile-and-half gallop at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., where Mystik Dan won by a nose May 4 in a three-horse photo finish.
"He felt great," said Albarado, who gallops the colt. "I thought every day would be a progression for him, and it is. He's coming back to himself. He's starting to get back into that race mode right now.
"Today I let him stretch his legs a little bit down the lane. He was comfortable doing it, wanted to do it."
McPeek requested a "swift gallop" Saturday to get a line on the horse's physical condition after the closest of calls in the 1 1/4-mile Derby. Two weeks after a maiden victory at Churchill Downs last fall, Mystik Dan developed a lung infection and ran one race too many, according to McPeek.
The colt recovered enough to win the Grade III $800,000 Southwest Stakes by eight lengths Feb. 3 at Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort in Hot Springs. McPeek passed on Oaklawn's Grade II $1 million Rebel Stakes on Feb. 24, and Mystik Dan secured a spot in the 20-horse Kentucky Derby field with a show finish in the Grade I $1.5 million Arkansas Derby on March 30.
McPeek got a good report after Mystik Dan was scoped and his blood tested following Saturday's work. He then called the ownership team of Lance Gasaway, 4G Racing (Brent and Sharilyn Gasaway, Daniel Hamby III, Scott Hamby) and Valley View Farm for their approval. The Gasaways are from the Star City-Gould area and the Hamby brothers are from Hot Springs.
"These are just deep dive details. This is what we do in a lot of races," McPeek said. "This is typical, you don't want to run a horse that has any trace of mucus. ... Checking blood work is something we do all the time."
McPeek said Mystik Dan leaves today for Pimlico, where entries are to be drawn Monday. Brian Hernandez Jr has the mount after also winning the Kentucky Oaks on May 3 aboard McPeek-trained filly and Oaklawn Grade III winner Thorpedo Anna. Albarado rode Swiss Skydiver, trained by McPeek, to victory in the 2020 Preakness after losing the Kentucky Oaks to Hot Springs-owned Shearesthedevil.
Albarado, who won the 2007 Preakness and Breeders' Cup Classic with two-time Horse of the Year Curlin, said the Preakness is getting a solid performer in Mystik Dan.
"He's so aware of where the stretch is," Albarado said. "You don't have to move on him, and he picks it up on his own. That's a sign of good horses, they know their surroundings and where they're at. That's the advantage of going up to Pimlico this early."
"We're not changing any routine we do with any other horse any time," McPeek said. "This is what we would have done whether it was a maiden race or stakes race."
The nine projected Preakness rivals for Mystik Dan include Arkansas Derby winner Muth, who as a Bob Baffert trainee was ineligible for the Kentucky Derby. The Hall of Fame trainer, 2023 Preakness winner with National Treasure, also has Grade I Santa Anita Derby runner-up Imagination in mind.
Smarty Jones Stakes winner (Jan. 1 at Oaklawn) and Kentucky Derby fourth-place runner Catching Freedom is training well, trainer Brad Cox saying he likely will decide Monday morning whether to enter. Catching Freedom won the Grade II Louisiana Derby at New Orleans' Fair Grounds in his second start as a 3-year-old.
Also expected are Oaklawn-raced horses Seize the Grey and Just Steel, both representing Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas. Seize the Grey won the Grade II Pat Day Mile at Churchill Downs on the Derby undercard, Just Steel later placing 17th of 20 in the Derby.
Robby Albarado, who won the 2007 Preakness and Breeders’ Cup Classic with two-time Horse of the Year Curlin, said the Preakness Stakes is getting a solid performer in Mystik Dan. (AP/Nick Wass)