The $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) is Saturday, Jan. 25, at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida. The race is for 4-year-olds and up going 1 1/8 miles. usracing.com is publishing profiles of the horses entered.
MYSTIK DAN
He’s healthy, he’s training well, and he’s ready for his 4-year-old campaign. First stop for Mystik Dan is Saturday in the Pegasus World Cup, a tough ask for the 2024 Triple Crown warrior trained by Kenny McPeek.
Mystik Dan. G. Sonny Hughes/Coglianese Photo.
Last year’s Derby winner seeks to bounce back off a poor showing in last month’s Malibu Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita
The surprise Kentucky Derby (G1) winner (18-1) – prevailing in a three-horse photo with Sierra Leone and Forever Young – ran second in the Preakness (G1), eighth in the Belmont Stakes (G1), was given seven months off, and then ran sixth in the 7-furlong Malibu Stakes (G1) on Dec. 26 after vanning a few thousand miles to Santa Anita.
“That race in California we weren’t thrilled with,” McPeek said. “Maybe I’ll take the bullet for that. It was a long trip to get him out there. It was a two-day trip, truckin’ to California, and he didn’t do well at that distance.”
After a pair of solid 5-furlong workouts at Gulfstream Park, McPeek hopes Mystik Dan is ready for the 1 1/8-mile challenge against 11 rivals, many of them Grade 1 winners.
“Hopefully, he comes back and proves himself as an older horse,’’ McPeek said.
Bettors beware here: Mystik Dan has all of three victories in 10 career starts – a maiden win at Churchill Downs as a 2-year-old, a win in the slop in the Southwest Stakes (G3) and his gutsy Derby win on the first Saturday in May.
Betting advice: Rolling the dice here, but don’t think he’s up to the task and can’t see him back in the winner’s circle. Pass.
Post position: 9
Odds: 8-1
Jockey: Brian Hernandez, Jr.
Trainer: Kenny McPeek
Owners: 4 G Racing, Valley View Farm, Lance Gasaway, Daniel Hamby III
Career record: 10-3-2-1
Career earnings: $4,161,860
Last race: Malibu Stakes (G1), Santa Anita, Dec. 26, 6th
Top Equibase speed figure: 110
Pedigree: Goldencents-Ma’am, by Colonel John
Age: 4
Color: Bay
Running style: Closer
Notes: Mystik Dan will be the second Derby winner to run in the Pegasus World Cup – California Chrome, the 2014 Derby and Preakness winner, ran ninth in the first edition of the race in 2017 … McPeek became the first trainer to win the Derby and Kentucky Oaks (Thorpedo Anna) in the same year since Ben Jones in 1952 … Mystik Dan worked 5 furlongs in 59.95 at Gulfstream on Jan. 18.