Nothing wrong with planning ahead, and trainer Kenny McPeek is doing just so after the 2024 Horse of the Year came out of her GI Apple Blossom tour-de-force in fine shape, with the GI La Troienne Stakes at Churchill Downs next on the list for 'Rising Star' MGISW Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna).
After receiving a preliminary Beyer of 93 for the romp, McPeek is already eyeballing a seventh victory at the elite level for 'the grizzly bear' and the May 2 Kentucky Oaks undercard feature is circled on the calendar. Thorpedo Anna will likely ship Monday to the track to prepare for that start.
“We've kind of plotted this all along,” McPeek said. “I knew the spacing. He [jockey Brian Hernandez Jr.] really didn't have to overwork on her yesterday. She knocked out the [feed] tub in 20 minutes last night. She's good to go to come back up here.”
Mystik Dan Seeks First Victory Since Derby in Lake Ouachita
GI Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan (Goldencents) is looking to break his losing streak, and is being pointed for the Listed Lake Ouachita at Oaklawn in the hopes of accomplishing it.
The McPeek trainee hasn't started since his ninth in the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes back in January, and following a 30-day break, returned to the work tab Mar. 31 at Oaklawn. With two local breezes under his belt, including Sunday morning when he went five panels in 1:00.40 with Robby Albarado in the irons (2/21), Mystik Dan will try to reverse course May 3, almost one year to the day after his Derby victory.
“Just a little maintenance,” said Albarado, the retired two-time Oaklawn riding champion who has regularly galloped and worked Mystik Dan the last two seasons at Oaklawn. “We try to get him consistently in [12-second furlongs] and it's easy to fit those times because he's push button.”
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