Kentucky Derby winner Mage is on track to run in the Preakness, pursue Triple Crown

LOUISVILLE, Kentucky.: Kentucky Derby winner Mage remains on track to run in the Preakness Stakes in Baltimore next week and resume the chase for horse racing’s first Triple Crown since Justify in 2018, with a final decision expected Friday.

Ramiro Restrepo, part of the ownership group, said Thursday those in charge of deciding Mage’s next race wanted to see one final workout before making that determination.

“Everything is just patience and temperance on our end,” Restrepo said on a conference call with reporters. “The plan is that if on Friday he trains satisfactory like he’s been training all week, then we would make the announcement that we would go to the Preakness.”

Mage would be the first unquestioned Derby winner to go to the Preakness with a chance to win the Triple Crown since Justify five years ago.

In 2019, Maximum Security was disqualified and Country House elevated to first with neither running in the Preakness; in 2020, the Belmont Stakes was run first because of the pandemic; in 2021, Medina Spirit failed a drug test after winning the Derby and was eventually DQed; and in 2022, the owner and trainer of long shot Rich Strike decided to skip the race.

While the two weeks between the Derby and Preakness make for an unusually tight turnaround for top thoroughbreds in North America, Restrepo downplayed that concern, citing trainer Gustavo Delgado’s experience.

“He’s won two (Venezuelan) Triple Crowns with similar timeframes, so as far as being prepared and being able to know all the things that Mage needs to check off the list to be able to participate his best for the Preakness, we have that in play and we’re quite comfortable with it,” Restrepo said.

Logistical preparations are already underway to