Muth Favored in Preakness, Mystik Dan Second Choice

As much as the Kentucky Derby (G1) winner will see a couple of familiar foes in the $2 million Preakness Stakes (G1), it's a new face who attracted the attention of the oddsmaker.

While 18-1 Run for the Roses winner Mystik Dan  will try to keep his Triple Crown hopes alive in the May 18 second jewel of the series at Pimlico Race Course, it was trainer Bob Baffert's multiple grade 1 winner Muth  who was installed as the 8-5 morning-line favorite from Post 4 in a field of nine at the May 13 post position draw in Baltimore. Mystik Dan drew Post 5 and is listed at 5-2.

"I am not surprised that Bob's horse is the favorite," said Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, who will send out a pair of Preakness starters in Just Steel  (Post 7, 15-1) and Seize the Grey  (Post 6, 15-1).

Zedan Racing Stables' Muth, who has never finished worse than second in six career starts for Baffert, enters off a two-length victory in the March 30 Arkansas Derby (G1) that would have made him a major player in the Kentucky Derby—except that Baffert was suspended and barred by Churchill Downs from running horses in the last three renewals of the race. Just Steel finished second and Mystik Dan was third in the Arkansas Derby.

Baffert enters a fresh and fit 3-year-old to chase his record-extending ninth Preakness win.

"Muth came out of his race really well," Baffert said about the Good Magic   colt bred by Don Alberto Corp. who was second in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1). "He shows up, he runs his race every time, first or second. He has so much quality. And he just keeps getting better and better. His Arkansas Derby, he handled that really well, came back and wasn't really tired."

Muth was bought for $2 million at the Ocala Breeders' Sales March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale.

Muth is not the only Preakness starter for Baffert, who won the 2023 Preakness with National Treasure . He also will try for an encore in Baltimore with Imagination  (Post 9, 6-1) for the same core group of connections. Owned by SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Dianne Bashor, Robert Masterson, Waves Edge Capital, Catherine Donovan, and Tom Ryan, the $1.05 million buy at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale was second by a neck in the April 6 Santa Anita Derby (G1).

"This has been a target for us," said Ryan, who heads SF Racing and SF Bloodstock. "When he ran in the Santa Anita Derby, we felt we learned a lot about him, just like we did last year when National Treasure was fourth in that race. We knew he ran well and since then the horse has really developed physically, mentally, and athletically. He's gotten fitter and tighter. He's been immature at times, but he continues to impress."

Imagination, a son of Into Mischief  , will be ridden by famed European jockey Frankie Dettori in what will be his first start in the Preakness.

Trainer Ken McPeek was in no rush to commit to a Preakness start for Lance Gasaway, Daniel Hamby III, 4 G Racing, and Valley View Farm's Mystik Dan. But after monitoring the son of Goldencents   in the days after his dramatic nose victory in the opening leg of the Triple Crown, he saw enough to send him to Maryland.

"The horse is doing good. He's galloped well. He's been eating well. There's a lot of positives right now," McPeek said about the colt bred by Gasaway, Hamby, and 4 G Racing who has won three of seven starts.

One of those seven starts was the Arkansas Derby, where Mystik Dan finished third, 6 1/4 lengths behind Muth.

Albaugh Family Stables' Catching Freedom  (Post 3, 6-1) closed from 15th in the Kentucky Derby to wind up fourth for trainer Brad Cox, who will wheel the Louisiana Derby (G2) victor and son of Constitution   back on two weeks' rest, an unusual move for Cox, whose only two Preakness starters in 2019 sat out the Derby.

"The bottom line is that the horse is doing well and it's the Triple Crown," said Jason Loutsch, co-owner and racing manager for the Albaugh Family Stables. "We feel that it's a tremendous opportunity. We know it will be a tough race, but we are excited to be in the race. He's a top horse and this is a big race."

Trainer Chad Brown won the Preakness twice with horses that did not run in the Kentucky Derby, and that formula produced a runner-up finish for Blazing Sevens  last year. This year, he'll follow that modus operandi with Tuscan Gold , who was third in the Louisiana Derby and failed to accumulate enough qualifying points to run in the Kentucky Derby.

A son of Medaglia d'Oro   owned by William Lawrence, Walmac Farm, and breeder Stonestreet Stable, Tuscan Gold (Post 8, 8-1) will be making just his fourth career start Saturday.

"I'm really pleased with the horse. He's working very well, and I thought he was an unlucky loser in the Louisiana Derby," Brown said. "His last couple of works, he has come forward a notch, and that's what I am looking for."

Lukas' pair of Pat Day Mile (G2) winner Seize the Grey and Just Steel, who faded to 17th after chasing a fast pace in the Kentucky Derby, both enter off two weeks' rest.

"He really ran a positive race. He really trained well. I don't know if he's good enough to win but he's on top of his game," Lukas said about Seize the Grey, a son of Arrogate owned by MyRaceHorse. BC Stables and Henry Schmueckle's Just Steel vied for the lead through a quick :46.63 opening half-mile in the Derby and faded.

"He got caught up in a speed duel, and we'll try to change that," Lukas said about the Justify   colt. "That's not his style."

Milam Racing Stable's Uncle Heavy  (Post 2/20-1) won the Feb. 3 Withers Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct Racetrack with a dramatic late rally. But then he was hurt by a wide trip from post 12 and bothered by a horse falling in the stretch while finishing fifth in the Wood Memorial Stakes (G2) and missed out on a spot in the Kentucky Derby. Trained by Butch Reid, the Pennsylvania-bred son of Social Inclusion  has won three of five starts.

"If there was ever a time to take a chance and run in a Triple Crown race, this is it. Baffert's horse (Muth) is a standout, but after that I think Uncle Heavy rates with anyone else in the field. If things go right and there's a good amount of speed in front of him, he'll come running. The distance won't be a problem. If they're going to beat him, they better be running," Reid said. "In the Wood, he got hung out and the horse falling next to him was unfortunate. It knocked him and the jockey off their game. Stuff like that can be unsettling. All things considered, I thought he ran well."

The field also includes Average Joe Racing Stables and Dan Wells' Mugatu  (Post 1/20-1), who was fifth in the Blue Grass Stakes (G1).