Mystik Dan,winner of the 2024 Kentucky Derby (G1), is set to make his turf debut Aug. 9 as he travels to Colonial Downs for the $1 million Arlington Million Stakes (G1T).
Trainer Kenny McPeek said he has been anxious to get the horse on the grass in his career, and having recently finished a solid fourth to the likes of Mindframe, Sierra Leone, and First Mission in the June 28 Stephen Foster Stakes (G1) at Churchill Downs, now seemed like the perfect opportunity.
"He's a very balanced horse, very easy-moving horse. I always felt like he was a bit of a Northern Dancer type," McPeek said about why he wanted to try the son of Goldencents on the grass. "We know where we fit, somewhat, against the older horses—we're in range of the older horses in the dirt—but I thought it would be maybe a different angle for him to try the grass."
Lance Gasaway, 4 G Racing, Daniel Hamby III, and Valley View Farm's 4-year-old colt recorded his first work over the surface Aug. 1, completing five furlongs in 1:02.17 at Saratoga Race Course's Oklahoma Training Track.
"He gets across (the turf) super, did it really easy and was happy out there," McPeek said of the work. "I think surface is not going to be a problem whatsoever with him. We know he can get the mile and a quarter; he's done that before. It's just a matter of how he fits against different turf races."
Mystik Dan will break from the rail with regular rider Brian Hernandez Jr. aboard. He's listed as the 9-2 fourth choice in an eight-horse field.
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