Mugatu Confirmed for Preakness Start

May 7, 2024

Mugatu breaking his maiden at Gulfstream Park Nov. 18, 2023. (Lauren King)

David Joseph/Maryland Jockey Club/Edited

BALTIMORE, Md. – Average Joe Racing Stables Ltd. and Dan Wells’ Mugatu, most recently fifth in the April 6 Blue Grass (G1), will return in the $2 million Preakness Stakes (G1) at Pimlico Race Course May 18, trainer Jeff Engler reported Tuesday.

Mugatu rallied from last in the 10-horse Blue Grass field to finish fifth behind Sierra Leone, Just a Touch, Epic Ride and Dornoch, all of whom went on to run in Saturday’s Kentucky Derby (G1) at Churchill Downs. Seize the Grey, who finished seventh in the Blue Grass, went on to win the Pat Day Mile (G2) on the Derby undercard.

The son of Blofeld, who broke his maiden at Gulfstream Park by 3 ¼ lengths Nov. 18, had run four times over Turfway Park’s synthetic surface without success prior to the Blue Grass at Keeneland.

“He’s getting better. He really moved up on the dirt. His numbers proved it. Seize the Grey, who won the Pat Day Mile, we finished in front of him in the Blue Grass. I heard Seize the Grey is going in the Preakness, so it’s a logical spot,” Engler said. “We were a little frustrated we didn’t get into the Derby. 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 is scheduled to breeze five furlongs Saturday before shipping to Pimlico.   

Preakness Possibles

Copper Tax (Gary Capuano)

• Imagination (Bob Baffert)

Informed Patriot (Steve Asmussen)

Just Steel (D. Wayne Lukas)

Mugatu (Jeff Engler)

Muth (Bob Baffert)

Mystik Dan (Kenny McPeek)

Seize the Grey (D. Wayne Lukas)

Tuscan Gold (Chad Brown) 

Uncle Heavy (Butch Reid)

Save these dates!

May 16 The Alibi Breakfast

May 9 Pimlico Race Course Opening Day

May 15 ABR’s Pre-Preakness Party Tickets Now Available

May 17 Black-Eyed Susan Day

May 18 Preakness Day

May 20-21 Fasig Tipton at Timonium

Join the Coach at the Alibi Breakfast Thursday, May 16 to ‘Boast, Toast and Roast!’  

The Alibi Breakfast features an annual gathering of horsemen and media to celebrate the Preakness and to solicit interesting race predications. It has also become an opportunity for the Maryland Jockey Club to recognize those who have made significant contributions to the racing industry. Click for tickets.

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