Mystik Dan Takes A Spin On the Grass

[Wandering Eyes]

Mystik Dan (Goldencents), the 2024 GI Kentucky Derby winner, breezed on the grass for the first time in his career Friday morning, going an easy five furlongs in 1:02 flat over the Oklahoma course with Luis Rivera, Jr. in the saddle.

“Really pleased,” trainer Ken McPeek said at his Saratoga barn. “I always wanted to try him on the turf, and he looked like he loved it. We're contemplating some options and this is a horse that's done everything we've ever asked him to do. I think he'll relish it; it's just a matter of finding the right spot at the right time.”

There is a bit of turf pedigree in Mystic Dan's second and third dams. Granddam Lady Siphonica (Siphon {Brz}), a full-sister to Grade I winner Siphonic, was the dam of Renaissance Art (More Than Ready), a debut winner in Ireland while under the care of Jim Bolger and later second in the 12-furlong Queen Mother Memorial Cup in Hong Kong. His third dam Cherokee Crossing (Cherokee Colony) was a full-sister to GI Hollywood Derby runner-up Dixie Dot Com and produced Rose of Summer (El Prado {Ire}), the dam of MGSW/MGISP Summer Front (War Front) as well as GISW Laragh (Tapit).

Winner of the GIII Blame Stakes two back, Mystik Dan was a latest fourth in a hot renewal of the GI Stephen Foster Stakes at Churchill June 28.

 

 

Work of the Day from #Saratoga—Mystik Dan worked 5 Furlongs in 1:02.17 on August 1st, 2025, for trainer @KennyMcPeek. pic.twitter.com/xlURcuX8vH

— 1/ST TV (@Watch1ST) August 1, 2025

 

D'Angelo Works Big Guns at the Spa

Gold Square's GI Franklin-Simpson Stakes winner Howard Wolowitz (Munnings) recorded his third breeze since returning from a five-month absence on Friday, going five furlongs over the Oklahoma dirt track in 1:01.88 for trainer Jose D'Angelo.

Beaten three lengths into ninth with some trouble in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, the $240,000 Keeneland January purchase bounced back with a sharp victory in the Holiday Cheer Stakes at Turfway in December. That set him up for a bid in the G2 1351 Turf Sprint in Saudi Arabia Feb. 22, but he was never a factor finishing 10th and is unraced since.

Tentative plans call for a return to action in the GI Kentucky Downs Turf Sprint on Aug. 30.

“He worked pretty good and we are looking forward to working again next week. The plan is to run at Kentucky Downs on Aug. 30,” D'Angelo said. “We sent him to the farm and he had some strong gallops there to get him ready for his workouts at Gulfstream. I galloped him a lot at Palm Meadows to prepare for that. He worked in company both works, very good. He improved so much from the layoff, growing and maturing. He's stronger and looks so good.”

Bentornato (Valiant Minister) is unraced since finishing a close second to champion Straight No Chaser (Speighster) in last year's Breeders' Cup Sprint and put in a very quick half-mile move in :45.01 (1/34) over the main track Friday morning.

“He worked so good today and came back OK,” D'Angelo said. “The ultimate goal is the Breeders' Cup Sprint, so we'll probably have him ready [to race] around the last week of the meet here. We don't have a race picked yet. I want to see him more ready and then figure it out.”

D'Angelo said that last year's Windsor Castle Stakes runner-up Gabaldon (First Dude) is being aimed towards the GIII Mahony Stakes on Aug. 10.

Bentornato fired a bullet at Saratoga Friday | Sarah Andrew

Mullikin Back To Work

WinStar Farm's Mullikin (Violence) breezed an easy half-mile in :49.40 over the Saratoga main track Friday morning, his first move since rounding out the exacta beneath sprint division leader Book'em Danno (Bucchero) in the GII A. G. Vanderbilt Stakes July 19 with Flavien Prat aboard for the move.

“He did good and we weren't looking for anything too fancy. I wasn't sure how much rain we were going to get, and I didn't want to be pushed to the weekend, so we let him cruise an easy half on his own,” said trainer Rodolphe Brisset. “Flavien was very happy with him and he looks like he came out of it very good.”

Though he has dropped two in a row at the hooves of the New Jersey-bred star, Mullikin is a good chance to attempt to reprise his finest hour in the GI Forego Stakes on the Travers undercard in four weeks' time.

“It's possible. I'm not committing us to it yet,” said Brisset. “It's 0-2 against Book'em Danno, and I don't know what they're doing with him, but we are the defending champ in the Forego and he wouldn't have to ship this time. I kept him there on purpose and maybe not having to ship and having run there a couple times might make a small difference.

“He has run three times this year and we have a fresh horse who looks like he's bouncing off it in the right way. Maybe we see the best of him in the next one,” Brisset added.

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