Uncertain plans for 150th Kentucky Derby winner Mystik

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — The second jewel of horse racing’s Triple Crown could be missing 150th Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan and other co-stars, quashing hopes for a rematch after the thrilling three-wide photo finish in the milestone race.

Trainer Kenny McPeek and the horse’s ownership wouldn’t commit to whether the colt would race in the Preakness on May 18 in Baltimore, which requires a quick two-week turnaround. Mystik Dan will travel to Saratoga, New York, before they decide whether to enter him in the 1 3/16 mile Preakness.

“We’re not committed to the Preakness, not yet,” McPeek said Sunday morning outside his barn at Churchill Downs. “I ran him back once in two weeks and it completely backfired on me. ... So, we’ll just watch him over the next week. It’ll be one of those (situations) where we’ll probably take it up to the last minute.

“We’ll let him tell us.” Trainer Bob Baffert has told Pimlico officials that he is sending Muth and Imagination to Baltimore for the Preakness.

Muth won the Arkansas Derby on March 30, when Mystik Dan finished third. Imagination was second behind Stronghold in the Santa Anita Derby on April 6.

Baffert has won the Preakness eight times, including last year with National Treasure.

Saratoga in upstate New York will host the Triple Crown’s final race 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 horses and some trainers might opt to head to Saratoga to acclimate horses sooner.

Chad Brown said Sierra Leone will skip the Preakness and leave on Monday to train at Saratoga and run in the Belmont.

“He’s a real laidback 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.”