McPeek Gives Update on Mystik Dan's Preakness Status

While still officially remaining on the fence when it comes to whether or not he will run his GI Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan (Goldencents) in the May 18 GI Preakness S., trainer Kenny McPeek confirmed that an appearance in the middle jewel of the Triple Crown is a distinct possibility.

“Who wouldn't want to?” he replied when asked if he is leaning toward running in the Preakness. “You only get so many of these windows of opportunity. It would give him a chance to prove himself again and maybe make amends for his loss in the GI Arkansas Derby. We wouldn't run him just for those reasons. But if he's well and he's ready and we feel like he can win it, we will go. We have a few days. There's no rush to make a decision.”

McPeek explained why he is being deliberate about the decision.

“The colt is doing fine,” he said. “We're going to get him back to the track [Wednesday]. He's been in the feed tub the last couple of days, so I'm not overly worried about that. An old guy told me years ago, don't make a decision until you absolutely, positively have to. We just want to get him back out on the racetrack and make sure he is moving good and that his energy level is fine. Right now, I can't tell you one way or another. The owners and I will discuss it and ultimately we'll do the right thing. I actually told [co-owner and breeder] Lance [Gasaway] before the Kentucky Derby that because we skipped the Rebel, I felt pretty good that, if we needed to, we could run back in the Preakness. At this stage, I am optimistic. But right now we don't need to make a call.”

When asked about the spacing between the races in the Triple Crown, McPeek had a number of opinions, but said, “I don't think the two weeks is that big of a deal.”

“I've run horses back in two weeks plenty of times in my career,” he said. “But if they made me commissioner or whatever and I could rearrange the Triple Crown, I would have it run on the first Saturday in May, the first Saturday in June and the first Saturday in July. But you'd have to get three huge organizations to agree to that. I think the uniqueness of the Triple Crown is the two weeks, three weeks. That's why it is such a test.

“The fact that we've removed Lasix from the conversation makes it an even better test. Horses recover quicker without the Lasix. Lasix was a detriment. I know there are guys that will hear me say that and scream, 'I need Lasix.' No, you don't need Lasix. Maybe there are certain horses that do and, yes, we do have bleeders. But they shouldn't be the ones running in the Grade I, Grade II, Grade III races. The two weeks is easier without the Lasix because the Lasix would dehydrate a horse and then you'd have to recoup that fluid within the two weeks.

“I'm not scared of the two weeks at all. I just want to make sure my horse is right.”