By Tim Wilkin
The GI Kentucky Derby winner will run in the GI Belmont S.
Trainer Kenny McPeek said Sunday that he has entered Mystik Dan (Goldencents) in the 1 1/4-mile Belmont, which will be run for the first time at Saratoga Race Course on June 8.
“His blood work came back good and he's been eating everything up in his tub,” McPeek said early Sunday afternoon. “It's going to be a fun weekend.”
The draw for the Belmont will be held Monday evening in downtown Saratoga Springs. Mystik Dan finished second in his last start, the GI Preakness S. He has been in Saratoga for nearly three weeks and the Belmont has always been the target.
McPeek had said he would take his time in making a final decision, wanting to make sure everything is going right with Mystik Dan, who is owned by Lance Gasaway, 4G Racing, LLC, Daniel Hamby III and Valley View Farm, LLC.
Everything is right and here is Mystik Dan, who will become the first horse since War of Will (War Front) in 2019 to compete in all three legs of the traditional Triple Crown. Max Player (Honor Code) did it in 2020, but that series was spread out over four months because of COVID.
“If you come off a Derby win and a second in the Preakness, you don't go to the Ohio Derby,” McPeek said. “And that is no disrespect to the Ohio Derby. I like that race. I've won that race [with Wild and Wicked (Wild Again) in 2003]. Our option was to skip [Belmont] and wait for the [GI] Haskell [July 20 at Monmouth].”
It made more sense, McPeek said, to stay put in Saratoga and run in the Belmont rather than have to ship to the Jersey Shore. With Mystik Dan confirmed to enter the Belmont, McPeek's other 3-year-old standout, the filly Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna) will run in the GI Acorn on Friday. She drew post position nine in the field of nine.
Thorpedo Anna, owned by Brookdale Racing Inc., Mark Edwards, Judy B. Hicks and Magdalena Racing (Sherri McPeek), has won four of five career starts, including both this year. In her last start, Thorpedo Anna won the GI Kentucky Oaks by 4 3/4 lengths.
McPeek had said if Mystik Dan did not run in the Belmont, Thorpedo Anna would have.
“I would not be scared to line her up with them,” McPeek said. “And she might line up with them before the end of the year.”
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