2022 Derby-winning trainer says McPeek will do the right thing for Mystik Dan for the Preakness

Lexington horse trainer Kenny McPeek said Monday that he’ll wait until next weekend to decide if his longshot Derby winner Mystik Dan will run in the second leg of the Triple Crown. Two years ago, Woodford County’s Eric Reed, the trainer of an even bigger longshot Derby winner, chose to keep Rich Strike out of the Preakness Stakes. Reed said McPeek will make sure the Derby didn’t take too much out of Mystik Dan.

“These decisions are tough, because you've got a lot of fallout from the press, and the media and political stuff, you know, history. But Kenny knows, he knows how to handle that situation. And guarantee, whatever decision he makes will be the right one for that horse.”

Reed said Richie, as he was known around the farm, needed longer to recover, mentally, and ran a different type of race.

“He was a deep closer, and Pimlico was for horses that can be up near the pace, they have to have some some tactical early speed. He had none of that. So you know, we had two great big things going against us.”

Reed said McPeek, who pulled off a rare one-two by winning the Kentucky Oaks the day before, is a great trainer who’ll make the right decision for Mystik Dan. He said if that’s to enter the Preakness, Mystik Dan will be a big, big threat.

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