Mystik Dan has already become a legend in the world of horse racing and a permanent fixture in the venerable sport’s history.
He now has the opportunity to elevate his legacy from legendary to immortal by winning another couple of races and caiming the Triple Crown.
Mystik Dan owns 33/1 odds to pull off the remarkable feat, per bet365, ahead of the second leg.
Only 13 horses – and just two in the last 45 years – have ever won the Triple Crown.
Triple Crown winners
| Horse | Year | Horse | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Justify | 2018 | Count Fleet | 1943 |
| American Pharoah | 2015 | Whirlaway | 1941 |
| Affirmed | 1978 | War Admiral | 1937 |
| Seattle Slew | 1977 | Omaha | 1935 |
| Secretariat | 1973 | Gallant Fox | 1930 |
| Citation | 1948 | Sir Barton | 1919 |
| Assault | 1946 |
Of course, a Triple Crown is won just one race at a time, and the next step in Mystik Dan’s pursuit is the Preakness Stakes on May 18.
The big question right now is whether or not he’ll even be entered in the iconic Baltimore event.
We might not know until Monday, when positions for the race will be drawn, but the horse’s health status is a bit up in the air, and two weeks is not a lot of rest time to get him up to 100 percent.
This is part of what makes the Triple Crown so special – a tired horse has to go up against much fresher ones, as most of the Preakness field did not run at Churchill Downs last week, so his talent really needs to shine through.
The fact that Mystik Dan might not compete in either of the upcoming Triple Crown races is factored into the long odds, so if you’re willing to take a risk, you could be holding an extremely valuable ticket if he runs.
So what are Mystik Dan’s chances to win the Preakness if he does run?
The length shouldn’t be an issue; it’s just 1/16 of a mile shorter than the Kentucky Derby, and, if anything, he would’ve won by more than a nose had the Derby ended a bit earlier.
The cause for concern is how Dan won. He controlled the rail for much of the back half of the race, using that position to surge ahead of the pack around the bend and ultimately win.
That’s a tough approach to replicate, pending post position, and could be especially challenging for a horse who will potentially be showing signs of fatigue if he does run.
Then, of course, if he does win, he’ll have just three more weeks to recover before a potential Triple Crown clincher at the Belmont Stakes in Saratoga.
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For an underdog horse who won the Kentucky Derby with a daring strategy by the shortest margin possible, and is already showing signs of slowing down, two more wins seem out of reach.
These long odds are warranted, and likely not worth an investment, even if Mystik Dan does run at Pimlico Race Course.