'Seems Like A Perfect Spot': Mystik Dan Shifts To Turf For Arlington Million

‘Seems Like A Perfect Spot’: Mystik Dan Shifts To Turf For Arlington Million originally appeared on Paulick Report.

Mystik Dan, the winner of 2024 Kentucky Derby (G1), will make his turf debut on Saturday in the Arlington Million (G1) at Colonial Downs.

Going 1¼ miles on the turf at the New Kent, Va. track, the $1-million marquee event of Saturday’s Festival of Racing attracted a field of eight older males. The Arlington Million is slated as race 11 of 12. First post is scheduled for 12 p.m. (ET).

With purse money totaling $2.5 million across seven stakes, the 2025 Festival of Racing program also includes the 1 3/16 miles $500,000 Beverly D. (G2) for older fillies and mares on the turf; the turf $500,000 Secretariat (G2) for 3-year-olds going one mile; the $100,000 Petramalo Mile, a one-mile dirt race for 3-year-olds and its sister race, the $100,000 Tyson Gilpin at seven furlongs; the $150,000 Van Clief for 3-year-olds & up at 5½ furlongs on the turf and its distaff companion event, the $150,000 Andy Guest.

Trained by Kenny McPeek for Lance Gasaway, 4 G Racing, Daniel Hamby III, and Valley View Farm, Mystik Dan has racked up $4,467,120 in lifetime earnings. His historic victory in the ‘Run for the Roses’ capped off a Derby–Oaks sweep for McPeek and jockey Brian Hernandez Jr., who will be in town to mount.

After competing in all three legs of the Triple Crown, including a second in the Preakness (G1), Mystik Dan was freshened up ahead of a 4-year-old campaign that includes a game fourth last time out to Mindframe in the Stephen Foster (G1) June 28 at Churchill Downs, a second in the Lake Ouachita Stakes May 3 at Oaklawn Park, and a dominant score in the Blame (G3) May 31 under the Twin Spires.

“This is a horse that has done everything we’ve asked him to do,” McPeek said. “Being a Grade 1 going 1¼ miles, the Arlington Million seems like a perfect spot for our Derby winner.”

On Friday, Aug. 1 Mystik Dan breezed five furlongs in 1:02.17 over the Oklahoma turf course at Saratoga.

“I always wanted to try him on the turf and in his work on Friday, it looked like he loved it,” McPeek said. “The move was so good and the horse is doing so good, I was like yeah, let’s run.”

Mystik Dan drew the rail and was tabbed at 9-2 in the morning line.

Trainer Shug McGaughey entered two in the Million, including 8-5 morning line favorite Integration. Owned by West Point Thoroughbreds and Woodford Racing, last year’s runner-up in this race boasts $1,643,950 in career earnings. Integration has three local scores topped by a victory in the 2023 Virginia Derby (G3). Drawing the outside post in the field of eight, Integration will be ridden by jockey John Velazquez.

Integration’s stablemate Fort Washington will look to rebound in the Million after running fifth to Brilliant Berti last out in the Wise Dan (G2) at Churchill. Prior to that, the 6-year-old horse owned by Magic Cap Stables scored back-to-back Grade 3s in the Canadian Turf and Dinner Party. Junior Alvarado, this year’s Kentucky Derby winning jockey, will guide Fort Washington from post 6.

Won by Godolphin’s Nation’s Pride last year, the 2025 Arlington Million has again attracted an international juggernaut in Refai Alghraiban’s Cairo. Bred in Ireland by Coolmore, the 5-year-old trained by Alice Haynes has achieved multiple Group 2 and Group 3 placings around the globe. Cairo finished third last out in the Queen Anne Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot. Colonial Downs’ reigning titleholder and current meet-leading jockey Ben Curtis takes the call and the pair will depart from post 5.

Arlington Million (G1) victor Nations Pride, with William Buick at the reinsCoady Media

Other contenders in the Million include Whisper Hill Farm’s multiple graded stakes winner Grand Sonata who has amassed $2,244,935 in lifetime earnings for trainer Todd Pletcher; and Robert J. Hunt’s tenacious Runaway Storm, who scored in the 2023 Bryan Station (G3) for conditioner Ethan West.

The complete field for the Arlington Million (G1) from the rail out with jockey, trainer and morning line odds: Mystik Dan (Hernandez, McPeek, 9-2); Time Song (Luis Saez, Jonathan Thomas, 30-1); Vesting (Javier Castellano, Mike Maker, 12-1 ); Runaway Storm (Alex Achard, Ethan West, 20-1); Cairo (Curtis, Haynes, 7-2); Fort Washington (Junior Alvarado, McGaughey, 4-1); Grand Sonata (Tyler Gaffalione, Pletcher, 8-1); and Integration (Carmouche, McGaughey, 8-5).

This story was originally reported by Paulick Report on Aug 3, 2025, where it first appeared.

‘Seems Like A Perfect Spot’: Mystik Dan Shifts To Turf For Arlington Million

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