The sun was not yet shining on the old Kentucky home May 8 when Mystik Dan made his first appearance on the Churchill Downs track since etching his name into racing history with a nose victory in the May 4 Kentucky Derby (G1).
The Derby winner emerged from trainer Kenny McPeek's barn at exactly 6 a.m. ET to begin his walk to the muddy track before stopping in front of the gap to soak in his surroundings.
"Mystik Dan is really calm, very intelligent," McPeek said. "Unfazed by anything."
Once on the track, the son of Goldencents started at the five-eighths pole and completed a mile jog around the track. Once the colt had passed by the viewing stand where McPeek could see him, he turned around and put in an easy 1 1/8-mile gallop to stretch his legs.
"He was his old self. He just goes out there as Mr. Pro," McPeek said.
#KentuckyDerby winner #MystikDan back on the @ChurchillDowns track for the first time since his victory. pic.twitter.com/jbDsAO56ic
— Sean Collins (@BH_SCollins) May 8, 2024
McPeek is carefully monitoring every movement the colt makes as he weighs whether or not his Derby winner will pursue racing's Triple Crown with a start in the $2 million Preakness Stakes (G1) May 18 at Pimlico Race Course.
The routine performed by Mystik Dan Wednesday morning was specifically designed to make sure McPeek could watch Mystik Dan jog away from him, jog past him one time, and gallop past McPeek twice while he watched in the viewing stand with his dog, Sonny.
"More than anything, I want to make sure he's moving good, eating good, and happy," McPeek said. "At this stage, I like what I see."
A decision on the Preakness will likely not come until this weekend, and McPeek said it might not come until May 13, the day of entries.
"An old guy told me a long time ago, never make a decision until you absolutely, positively have to," McPeek said.
Mystik Dan will stretch his gallop out to 1 3/8 miles beginning May 9 and may have a "swift gallop" May 11 to give McPeek a chance to scope the colt, making sure there are no issues in his trachea or lungs.
Mystik Dan won a maiden race Nov. 12 at Churchill Downs by 7 3/4 lengths. Returning just 13 days later as the favorite in an allowance optional claiming race, Mystik Dan ran fifth while beaten by eight lengths. McPeek said his runner came out of the race with a lung infection.
"I don't want that to happen again," McPeek said when asked about the two weeks between the Derby and Preakness. "He had a real legitimate excuse. He coughed up a big chunk of mucus."
Despite that concerning performance on short rest last fall, McPeek is comfortable running Mystik Dan in the Preakness as long as he's healthy.
"It's not that big a deal," McPeek said. "As long as their immune systems are good and they're happy, no problem."
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Thorpedo Anna Returns To Track Despite Rash
While all signs are positive for Mystik Dan, McPeek has more to worry about for the stable's other star, Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner Thorpedo Anna.
"She came out of the race with a little bit of a skin rash on her girth that's got me concerned," McPeek said. "Horses get ringworm, it's from the humidity, the weather, the rain and stuff like that. Every now and then you get a stable that has a little case of ringworm. She's got some spots on her girth."
Despite the rash, the daughter of Fast Anna also made her first trip back to the track Wednesday morning, performing the same routine as her Derby-winning stablemate. McPeek said she was still showing the same aggressiveness she always does during her training.
Not expecting the rash to cause any delays, McPeek seemed committed to the June 7 Acorn Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course rather than the following day's Belmont Stakes (G1) against the boys.
"I want her to be champion 3-year-old filly," McPeek said.
Preakness Field Slowly Taking Shape
Should Mystik Dan decide to run in the Preakness, he will likely only see one familiar Derby face in the gate, Just Steel. Trained by D. Wayne Lukas, the son of Justify also returned to the track Wednesday alongside Lukas' Pat Day Mile (G2) winner and Preakness hopeful Seize the Grey.
"They had good energy, felt good. In fact, surprisingly good," Lukas said. "I was very pleased with them. We passed that part of the test pretty good."
Sitting within a half-length off Derby pacesetter Track Phantom, Just Steel chased fractions of :22.97 and :46.63 before fading to 17th. Based on his energy levels after the Derby, Lukas believes the colt will be ready to bounce back with a more favorable trip.
"You can't (set those fractions) in the Derby and finish," Lukas said. "We got roughed up a little leaving there. I don't blame (jockey) Keith (Asmussen) because he tried to get out of that trouble. In doing so, he ended up sending him. We were just too strong early."
Sitting on the also-eligible list prior to Derby entries being taken, Lukas decided to audible Seize the Grey to the Pat Day Mile. The move proved successful as the son of Arrogate took home the top prize.
Seize the Grey seemed to relish the cut back in distance to a one-turn mile, but Lukas is not concerned asking him to stretch back out to the 1 3/16-mile distance of the Preakness.
"He was just getting his stride at the wire. He was running pretty strong," Lukas said. "I really think that he'll adapt to the Preakness very well. He's the type of horse that will be very well adapted to it."
Lukas has not made a decision yet on who will ride Just Steel in the Preakness, but confirmed Jaime Torres will retain the mount on Seize the Grey.
A horse that was on the Derby also-eligible list was Mugatu. After failing to get enough scratches to enter the classic, trainer Jeff Engler changed his back-up plan from running in the May 11 Peter Pan Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct Racetrack to running in the Triple Crown's middle jewel.
"We were a little frustrated we didn't get into the Derby," Engler said. "We feel the more distance the better for this horse. I do like the mile and three-sixteenths, so we're going to head up."
Mugatu was likely to be the Derby's biggest longshot had he drawn in, given he has won just once in twelve starts. However, in a smaller field in the Preakness, he is likely to receive more attention. On April 6, the son of Blofeld closed from last to finish fifth in the Blue Grass Stakes (G1) behind four Kentucky Derby contenders, and ahead of Seize the Grey. The Blue Grass was his first start on dirt since Dec. 9 and only his third start on the surface in his career.
"He's getting better. He really moved up on the dirt. His numbers proved it," Engler said. "We finished in front of (Seize the Grey) in the Blue Grass. I heard Seize the Grey is going in the Preakness, so it's a logical spot."
The main intrigue in the Preakness field is the Bob Baffert-trained duo of Arkansas Derby (G1) winner Muth and San Felipe Stakes (G2) winner Imagination. Both horses would have qualified for the Derby, but were ineligible to run due to Baffert's suspension from Churchill Downs following a failed drug test that disqualified Medina Spirit from victory in the 2021 Kentucky Derby.
Muth will enter the Preakness off seven weeks rest while Imagination has not raced in six weeks. Lukas believes the two colts waiting fresh in the wings have weighed on the Preakness decisions for many trainers. However, neither he nor McPeek have been swayed by Baffert's presence.
"I don't fear any (fresh horses), even Muth," McPeek said. "We're in good shape. I don't worry about other people's horses. It's hard to train mine, much less everyone else's."
