Ahead of Preakness, McPeek said of Mystik Dan, "I like what I see"

After pulling off an unexpected victory in the Kentucky Derby on May 4, Mystik Dan returned to the Churchill Downs racetrack.

Under the guidance of frequent exercise rider Martin Reyes, the 3-year-old son of Goldencents—owned by Lance Gasaway, Sharilyn Gasaway, Daniel Hamby III, and Valley View Farm—jogged and galloped a lap at approximately 6 a.m. EDT.

“He’s doing great,” stated trainer Kenny McPeek, who will now train Mystik Dan with his second session at roughly 5:45 a.m. “He went a little more than a mile, a mile and an eighth maybe (each lap). That’s a typical routine for us, let them jog a turn. I always walk three days after they run. Tomorrow, we’ll probably gallop him a mile and three-eighths, a little farther. Same thing Friday and Saturday. I suspect we’ll make a (Preakness) decision over the weekend, or even as late as Monday. But more than anything, I just want to make sure he’s moving well and eating well and happy. And at this stage, I like what I see.”

While acknowledging that a decision on his trainee's eligibility for the middle jewel of the Triple Crown on May 18 is still pending, McPeek stated on Wednesday morning that things are moving in the right manner to run the Derby winner back in the Preakness at Pimlico. Monday is the day for entries.

“I’ve said it repeatedly: An old guy told me long ago, ‘Never make a decision until you absolutely, positively have to,’ ” McPeek noted to the media on hand in his Churchill Downs barn office. “If he’s healthy, we’re not scared to go. If we feel like he needs more time, he’ll get it. It’s all grey; it’s not black and white. Who wouldn’t want to go? Especially if your horse is doing well,” he remarked. “And the mile and three-sixteenths is actually probably a better distance for him than a mile and a quarter, because they almost got him at a mile and a quarter.”

Mystik Dan defeated Sierra Leone by a nose in the Derby, with Japan's Forever Young finishing third with another nose lead thanks to a masterful rail-skimming ride by Brian Hernandez Jr. McPeek became the first trainer to win both the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks and the Derby in the same year since the illustrious Ben Jones in 1952 as a result of the outcome. Thorpedo Anna and McPeek and Hernandez combined to win the 150th Oaks on Friday.

McPeek received a career Triple Crown from Mystik Dan. He won the 2002 Belmont Stakes with Sarava, who triumphed in New York at record 70-1 odds three weeks after winning the Sir Barton Stakes on the Preakness undercard, and the 2020 COVID-delayed Preakness with the filly Swiss Skydiver.

“It’s a great race,” McPeek stated of the Preakness. “It’s an American classic for a reason. We’re not taking that lightly at all.”

Despite his early concerns, McPeek stated on Wednesday that, generally speaking, “it's not that big of a deal” about Mystik Dan's two-week turnaround between the Derby and the Preakness.

“In this day and age, we don’t run on (the anti-bleeder medication) Lasix anymore,” he noted. “Lasix was a real dehydration factor. I think it was really hard to win the Triple Crown with Lasix. I think that was one of the reasons there was a drought in it. Over my career, I’ve run horses back quickly plenty of times. I mean, I ran Rattle N Roll back in seven days off a win. I’m not scared to do that. So we’ll see. We’ll let him tell us.”

“It just depends on their constitution, how well they’re doing, whether they’re eating,” he remarked. “As long as their immune systems are good and they’re happy, no problem.”

According to McPeek, he eventually went through and replied to each of the roughly 2,000 texts he had received with congratulations. Among the numerous calls he received was one from Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, the eight-time Preakness winner whose horse Muth is the clear favourite for the 149th running of the legendary Arkansas Derby (G1). McPeek's horse finished third in the Arkansas Derby, where Muth defeated Mystik Dan.

“I don’t worry about other people’s horses,” McPeek stated. “It’s hard to train mine, much less everybody else’s. I talked to Bob the other day, had a great call with him. He was thrilled for me.”