Arkansas Derby winner Muth arrived in Baltimore for the 149th Preakness as the favorite over Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan. Unfortunately for Muth and his connections, owner Zedan Stables and trainer Bob Baffert the horse spiked a fever and will not run.
“We are sick about this. The horse had been doing really well,” trainer Bob Baffert said. “But we have to do what’s right by the horse.”
Muth, a 2 million dollar Good Magic colt hasn’t been the luckiest of horses despite his success on the racetrack. The two-time Grade 1 winner was not allowed to compete in the Kentucky Derby due to Churchill Downs extending a two-year ban on trainer Bob Baffert from any CDI owned racetrack without explanation. The ban stemmed from the Medina Spirit betamethasone positive test result in The Kentucky Derby. Zedan Stable owner challenged that ban in the Kentucky courts but lost. As of today Bob Baffert competing in future Kentucky Derbies remains uncertain and at the sole discretion of Churchill Downs.
Muth easily handled Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan in the Arkansas Derby and although they did not get a rematch in Louisville in the Run For the Roses which would have added to the thrill of an already outstanding 150th Kentucky Derby the racing community was looking forward to seeing the two square off in The Preakness. Now they may just have to wait until The Belmont Stakes to be run at Saratoga or possibly later in the year in The Travers.
The scratch of Muth leaves Bob Baffert with one entry in The Preakness, Imagination who will be ridden by Frankie Dettori who looks for his first win in a Triple Crown race after winning just about every other race under the sun. A sloppy or wet track looms for Saturday and the 149th Preakness and Frankie and Imagination just might find themselves on the lead. Bob Baffert who has dominated in the Triple Crown series winning two with American Pharoah and Justify won The Preakness with National Treasure after serving the initial two year Churchill Downs ban.
