Mystik Dan Works ‘Happy’ Five-Eighths In Final Pegasus Move

[Wandering Eyes]

Reigning GI Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan (Goldencents) breezed five furlongs in :59.98 on his own over a 'good' Gulfstream Park main track Saturday morning, his final serious piece of work ahead of next Saturday's GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes. Robby Albarado was aboard for the move.

“What I'd call a happy five-eighths,” trainer Ken McPeek said. “It was just a maintenance breeze. I didn't have a horse I really felt good about him being in company with, and I don't think he needed the company. But he took a deep breath coming out of the work and that's what he needed.

“I like the time, he did it well within himself, so, yeah, I think it sets us up pretty good. As long as he has a good next few days, week, we plan on running.”

Mystik Dan, runner-up in the GI Preakness Stakes and sixth in the GI Belmont Stakes, returned from a 6 1/2-month absence to finish a distant sixth as a 3-1 chance in the GI Malibu Stakes at Santa Anita Dec. 26.

'TDN Rising Star' Locked (Gun Runner), a latest winner of a high-class renewal of the GII Cigar Mile Handicap, and Crupi (Curlin), a running-on third in last year's Pegasus and exiting a fourth in the GII Clark Stakes, worked in company at Palm Meadows for trainer Todd Pletcher Saturday morning. The pair was clocked in 1:01.91 for five furlongs.

GI Alabama Stakes upsetter Power Squeeze (Union Rags) went four furlongs at Gulfstream in :50.02 Saturday morning.

Stronghold (Ghostzapper) turned in his final Pegasus breeze Friday morning at Santa Anita, covering five furlongs in an easy 1:02.60. Last year's GI Santa Anita Derby winner was most recently runner-up in the Malibu. Imagination (Into Mischief) heads into the Pegasus off a sound third in the Malibu and breezed three-quarters of a mile in the company of Eclipse finalist Citizen Bull (Into Mischief). Imagination was timed in 1:12.40, while the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner was fractionally quicker in 1:12 flat.

Post positions for the Pegasus are set to be drawn Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. The draw will be shown live on PegasusWorldCup.com as well as the Gulfstream Park YouTube channel.

 

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