LOUISVILLE, Ky. — It may be that 150th Kentucky Derby champion Mystik Dan and other star horses won't be at the second leg of horse racing's Triple Crown, dashing hopes for a rematch after the exciting three-way photo finish in the historic race.
Trainer Kenny McPeek and the horse's owners did not confirm if the colt would participate in the 149th Preakness on May 18 in Baltimore, which requires a quick two-week turnaround. Mystik Dan will travel to Saratoga, New York, and a decision on whether to enter him in the 1 3/16 mile Preakness will be made later.
“We're not committed to the Preakness, not yet,” McPeek said Sunday morning outside his barn at Churchill Downs' backside. “I ran him back once in two weeks and it completely backfired on me. … So, we'll just observe him over the next week. It'll likely be a situation where we'll probably decide at the last minute.
“We'll let him tell us.”
The picturesque track in upstate New York will host the Triple Crown’s final jewel for the next three years while Belmont Park is being reconstructed. The Belmont has also been shortened to 1 1/4 miles, matching the Derby distance that Mystik Dan won by a nose over Sierra Leone and Japan-bred Forever Young in the closest three-way finish since 1947.
The five-week gap follows a more normal race schedule for many thoroughbreds, and some trainers might choose to head to Saratoga to help their horses adapt sooner.
Chad Brown stated that Sierra Leone will skip the Preakness and leave on Monday to train at Saratoga and run the Belmont. Considering how much effort it took for Sierra Leone to navigate other horses and chase down Mystik Dan before falling a nose short at the finish, some rest seems necessary.
“He’s a real laid back horse but when we brought him out, was a little more tired than he normally is after his races,” Brown said. “I think giving him the five weeks to the Belmont is definitely the right thing to do.”
Louisville-born trainer Brad Cox is assessing Catching Freedom (fourth) and Just A Touch (20th) before deciding their next moves. Forever Young and fellow Japan-bred T O Password (fifth) are headed home on Tuesday.
This could mean the Preakness might not have some of the Derby star power at first glance, although it will still have plenty of interesting storylines with several well-rested horses expected to compete at Pimlico Race Course.
Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert could have two entries as he aims to follow up National Treasure’s victory there last spring. He trains Santa Anita Derby runner-up Imagination and Arkansas Derby winner Muth, who missed the Derby due to failed legal attempts by owner Amr Zedan to get him in, despite Baffert’s suspension by Churchill Downs through the end of 2024.
As McPeek and the owners think over a decision, he and jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. reveled in all the congratulations for a Derby win that placed them in exclusive company.
Saturday’s triumph helped both of them achieve rare weekend wins of the Derby and Kentucky Oaks for fillies. McPeek is only the third trainer to accomplish this, and the first since Ben Jones (who did it twice) in 1952, while Hernandez is the eighth jockey to accomplish this, and the first since fellow Louisiana native and Hall of Famer Calvin Borel in 2009.
At the same time, Mystik Dan remained calm and unaffected as a group of people took pictures and selfies while workers washed him outside the barn. He was then covered with the winner’s blanket to show his Derby victory before being taken back to his stall with a WWE-style title belt hanging on an outer wall. The Oaks-winning filly Thorpedo Anna also briefly appeared and enjoyed the attention.
Hernandez is getting ready for his own life-changing moment and championship after winning the sport’s main race. He had dinner with his family after the Derby, but didn't sleep much, which will likely continue for the next few days due to numerous interview requests. He hopes to come to terms with all that has happened at some point, but he already has a prepared response.
“When someone asks about my job, I can say that I'm a professional jockey. And the first question they usually ask is, ‘Have you ever won the Kentucky Derby?’ I can now say yes.”