Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition

MARCUS HERSH

MUTH didn’t do much for me in February. The American Pharoah last October lacked real substance, and in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Muth kind of just tooled around the Santa Anita oval without doing anything special when finishing a distant second. His 3-year-old debut, the San Vicente, hardly advanced his cause.

Yet Muth’s strong Preakness candidacy doesn’t rest solely on his Arkansas Derby victory. In fact, that performanc­e casts a different light upon his previous races. Muth was in fact meant to be a real route horse. His metronomic, efficient stride actually could produce a fast race. Muth, it turns out, is quite good.

Check out his Arkansas Derby gallop-out and you’ll come away with a strong sense that 1 1/8 miles didn’t come close to depleting him. He has breezed like clockwork for the Preakness; love the way the colt has been traveling, going well within himself while Imaginatio­n dug deep just to keep up. Muth could lead at Pimlico and be in good shape, but he radiates a vibe he’d also be fine sitting just behind the pace if Just Steel or Seize the Grey get sent. Muth remains untested in mud. Won’t matter.

TUSCAN GOLD would suit the Belmont – the real Belmont, run over 1 1/2 miles around long, sweeping turns. The colt’s a bit of a lumberer. He’s also very talented. He had no business finishing a close third jumping from a maiden win into the Louisiana Derby, not with the grave ground loss he suffered on both turns, and not after coming off the bridle before the three-furlong marker.

Tuscan Gold does appear to require quite a bit of encouragem­ent to hit full stride – part of the reason Domestic Product torched him in their April 20 team workout. But he’s fresh, lightly raced, and brimming with talent. Up for second.

Stronghold ran pretty well in the Derby, making IMAGINATIO­N look better. From their works together, he can’t beat Muth, but if he gallops along at a steady pace, he can beat most of them.

MYSTIK DAN loved a wet track at Oaklawn Park, but even if he gets another one, can he come close to that form on two weeks’ rest? Was the trainer just giving himself an out talking initially about how sapped the colt seemed after the Derby?

As perfect a trip as Mystik Dan got at Churchill, Catching Freedom’s was just as good, and how long can this colt go without taking a step back?

MUTH

TUSCAN GOLD IMAGINATIO­N MYSTIK DAN