BALTIMORE - Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan will run in the 149th Preakness Stakes on May 18 at Baltimore’s Pimlico Race Course, trainer Kenny McPeek announced Saturday morning. “All systems go,” McPeek said. “He’ll ship out in the morning.”

    Mystik Dan had a routine 1 1/2-mile gallop at Churchill Downs under retired jockey Robby Albarado, who will be part of the Derby winner’s travel team to Baltimore, much as he was in 2020 when he rode the filly Swiss Skydiver to victory for McPeek. The difference this time is that Brian Hernandez Jr. rides Mystik Dan in his races.

    Mystik Dan underwent an endoscopic exam and had bloodwork analyzed just to ensure everything was normal. When everything came back clean, McPeek confirmed everything was a go for the Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown.

     “The horse is doing fantastic,” he said after Mystik Dan trained. “I’ve already kind of arranged the logistics of it all.”

    Mystik Dan will get a rematch in the 1 3/16-mile Preakness with Arkansas Derby winner Muth. Mystik Dan finished third that day, his first race in seven weeks after he was a romping winner of Oaklawn Park’s Gr. III Southwest Stakes in the slop.

    “He was ready for the Arkansas Derby,” McPeek said. “I’m not going to use that as an excuse. But he did get turned sideways in that turn, and Brian felt that cost him three or four lengths. But the horse fought back, fortunately…. I’m optimistic we can give (Muth) another run.

    HALLANDALE BEACH - Nolan Ramsey, the longtime assistant to trainer Michael Maker before going out on his own in April, saddled his first winner as a trainer Friday at Gulfstream Park.

    The 27-year-old Lexington native notched his first victory with Marshamarshamarsha ($5), who is owned by his grandfather, Ken Ramsey, the longtime owner who won four Eclipse Awards as North America’s outstanding owners with his late wife Sarah and was the leading owner during the 2023-2024 Championship Meet.

    Marshamarshamarsha, Ramsey’s fifth starter, stalked the early pace while saving ground before making a three-wide sweep on the turn into the homestretch on her way to a decisive score in Race 5, a mile turf event for 3-year-old fillies racing for a $16,000 claiming price.

   “It’s special. It’s the first one. It’s great to get off the duck. It’s nice doing it for family too,” said Ramsey, who was doused with water by a stable employee in celebration. “I wouldn’t be here without him (Ken Ramsey). My love for the horses and horseracing all came from him. I remember watching the races when I was 5 or 6. He taught me how to handicap and started bringing me around the horses. Without my grandparents I wouldn’t be here. To get where I’ve been and being able to knock off the first one for the family, that’s really special.”

   Ramsey started walking hots for Maker when he was 14 years old. “I was hands-on with them, and I really fell in love with the racetrack. The action and the speed of it really drew me in. It was full-blown from there on,” said Ramsey, who has assembled a 30-horse stable at Gulfstream with plans to train a small string in the Mid-Atlantic.

    “I was very grateful to work for Mike,” he added. “The thing about Mike is he has all the horses. He has the Grade 1s; he’s got the starter allowances; he’s got the ‘nickel’ claimers."

    BALTIMORE – For an eighth straight year, the Maryland Jockey Club is offering bonus money totaling $100,000 to trainers who run a minimum of five horses in the 15 stakes races during Preakness weekend, May 17 and 18, at Pimlico Race Course.

    The blockbuster weekend includes a total of 16 stakes, nine graded, worth $4.4 million in purses. The trainer with the most points will receive $50,000, second is worth $25,000, third $12,000, fourth $7,000, fifth $4,000 and sixth $2,000.

    Points are accumulated for finishing first (10 points), second (seven), third (five), fourth (three) and having a starter (one) in the 15 horoughbred stakes, led by the 149th running of the $2 million Preakness Stakes, Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown, May 18. Trainers must have a minimum of five starts to qualify for the bonus.

    Other graded events on Preakness Day are the $500,000 Dinner Party (G3) for 3-year-olds and up going 1 1/8 miles and $100,000 Gallorette (G3) for fillies and mares 3 and older at 1 1/16 miles, each on turf, and the $200,000 Chick Lang (G3) for 3-year-olds and $100,000 Maryland Sprint (G3) for 3-year-olds and up, both at six furlongs; and $100,000 UAE President Cup (G1) for older Arabian horses on the main track. The UAE President Cup is not part of the bonus.

    Supporting Preakness undercard stakes are the $100,000 Sir Barton for 3-year-old non-winners of a sweepstakes going 1 1/16 miles and $100,000 Skipat for fillies and mares 3 and up sprinting six furlongs, both on dirt, along with the $100,000 James W. Murphy for 3-year-olds going one mile and $100,000 Jim McKay Turf Sprint at five furlongs, each on the grass.

    Preakness Eve, May 17, will be highlighted by the 100th running of the $300,000 Black-Eyed Susan (G2) for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/8 miles and two supporting graded-stakes – the historic $250,000 Pimlico Special (G3) for 3-year-olds and up going 1 3/16 miles and $150,000 Miss Preakness (G3) for 3-year-old fillies sprinting six furlongs.

    The Black-Eyed Susan undercard also includes the $100,000 Allaire du Pont Distaff for fillies and mares 3 and older going 1 1/8 miles on the dirt as well as the $100,000 Hilltop for 3-year-old fillies going one mile and $100,000 The Very One for fillies and mares 3 and up sprinting five furlongs, both on the turf.

    Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen has been the leading Preakness weekend stakes trainer four times in its first seven years, earning the top bonus in 2017, 2018, 2021 and 2022. Brad Cox (2019), Mike Maker (2020) and Maryland-based Graham Motion (2023) have also won the top prize.

    Nominations are free for all stakes, with the exception of the Preakness, and close Tuesday, May 7. To make a nomination, email stakes coordinator Eleanor Albert at [email protected] or call 800-638-1859.

    There will also be bonus money totaling $50,000 for trainers with the most points in non-stakes races during Preakness weekend. The points are accumulated in similar fashion with $25,000 going to the leader, $10,000 to second, $7,500 to third, $4,000 to fourth, $2,500 to fifth and $1,000 to sixth. Trainers must have a minimum of three starts to qualify for the bonus.

    Entries will be taken and post positions drawn on Sunday, May 12 for the Black-Eyed Susan Day program and Monday, May 13 for the Preakness Day program. The post-position draw for the Preakness will be held at Monarque on Fleet Street in Baltimore’s Harbor East neighborhood.