McPeek and his charming colt, Mystik Dan. (Maryland Jockey Club)
Thorpedo Anna to G1 CCA Oaks
Belmont Stakes Racing Festival Notes
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Lance Gasaway, 4 G Racing, Daniel Hamby, III and Valley View Farm’s Grade 1 Kentucky Derby-winner Mystik Dan will be pointed to the Grade 1, $1.25 million Draftkings Travers on August 24 at Saratoga Race Course after an eighth-place finish in Saturday’s Grade 1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets at the Spa.
Trained by Kenny McPeek, Mystik Dan was the only horse this year to contest all three legs of the Triple Crown after winning the Kentucky Derby on May 4 and finishing a valiant second to Seize the Grey in the Grade 1 Preakness May 18. He stalked two lengths off the early pace in the 10-furlong Belmont Stakes, but lost ground throughout under regular pilot Brian Hernandez, Jr. and finished well behind the victorious Dornoch.
McPeek said Mystik Dan exited the race in good order but will appreciate a good rest after running three times in five weeks.
“He’s doing fine. He scoped with a little bit of mucus, and on a scale of five it was probably a two,” McPeek said. “But he’s had a great spring, and obviously it was a small step backwards, but nothing we can’t fix. It’s all good, he just scoped a little bit dirty. We had scoped him after his last work and he was clean, so it’s a bit of a head-scratcher. He’s run hard and Brian didn’t seem to think he handled the track very well, but they all had to run over it.
“He deserves a break,” McPeek added. “It’s a little disappointing not to run better than that, but it’s not supposed to be easy, right?”
All was not lost on the weekend for McPeek as Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks winner Thorpedo Anna posted another dominant victory when taking Friday’s Grade 1, $500,000 DK Horse Acorn by 5 1/2 lengths over Grade 1-winner Leslie’s Rose. The pace-pressing effort garnered a career-best 99 Beyer Speed Figure and brought her sophomore record to a perfect 3-for-3.
McPeek said the daughter of Fast Anna was brilliant despite losing her front right shoe in the race.
“She came out of it great. She lost a shoe going into the first turn, and for her to run as well as she did with a shoe missing is pretty impressive,” said McPeek. “The foot was a little tender coming out of the race, but we’ve soaked it and reset the shoe – no problem there.”
McPeek had considered trying the talented bay against males at some point this summer but said the plan for now is to keep her against fillies in the nine-furlong Grade 1, $500,000 Coaching Club American Oaks on July 20 at the Spa, with a long-term goal being the 10-furlong Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama presented by Keeneland Sales on August 17.
“She’s going to run in the Coaching Club and the Alabama,” said McPeek. “We may nominate her to the Travers, but I think it’s more likely that Mystik Dan will come back in the Travers. She’ll stay in the filly division at this point, and Mystik Dan will more than likely look at the Travers and the Pennsylvania Derby.”
