Kentucky Derby Horses Test Out The Turf

Only one of the 20 horses can achieve immortality by winning the Kentucky Derby. A handful of contestants will go on to have great careers on the dirt. Sierra Leone turned a loss at Churchill Downs into a Breeders’ Cup Classic victory, and followed it up with an impressive win as a 4-year-old in last weekend’s Whitney. Most horses follow a much different path after the First Saturday in May.

Final Gambit was a popular long-shot choice ahead of the 2025 Kentucky Derby. In his final prep, he closed strong on the synthetic surface at Turfway Park in the Jeff Ruby’s Steaks. It paid off for superfecta bettors with a fourth-place finish beneath the Twin Spires.

A month later, he didn’t fire in a small field in Churchill Downs’ Matt Winn Stakes. With a win on synthetic, Brad Cox chose to try Final Gambit on the turf. He lost by two lengths in the Belmont Derby, but was poised to move forward at Saratoga in his second start on turf. That didn’t happen. Racing alongside another Derby horse, Tiztastic, Final Gambit ran a huge number, but was fifth again in the Saratoga Derby.

That brings us to the top race in the country this Saturday. Brian Hernandez guided Mystik Dan to an incredible win in the 2024 Kentucky Derby. It took Mystik Dan another year to return to the winner’s circle.

After cutting the corner to win a Grade III stakes race at Churchill Downs, Mystik Dan ran in the Stephen Foster, the second-most prolific race beneath the Twin Spires each year. That move up didn’t work for Mystik Dan, so Kenny McPeek is trying something new.

The 2024 Kentucky Derby will race on turf this weekend for the first time in the Arlington Million. The race has bounced around since the Chicagoland track closed in 2021. CDI moved this year’s 1 1/4 mile Grade I Stakes race to Colonial Downs in Virginia.

Mystik Dan is at his best when Brian Hernandez is navigating him alongside the rail. This post position will suit him well, but he isn’t the top choice in this race. That honor belongs to Integration, who was a neck away from winning a Grade I in his most recent start.

Will the Kentucky Derby winner find his stride on a grassy surface? We’ll find out Saturday evening at approximately 5:54 PM ET.

Post Position	Morning Line	Horse	Jockey	Trainer
1	9/2	Mystik Dan	B. Hernandez Jr.	K. McPeek
2	30	Time Song	L. Saez	J. Thomas
3	12	Vesting (IRE)	J. Castellano	M. Maker
4	20	Runaway Storm	A. Achard	E. West
5	7/2	Cairo (IRE)	B. Curtis	A. Haynes
6	4	Fort Washington	J. Alvarado	C. McGaughey
7	8	Grand Sonata	T. Gaffalione	T. Pletcher
8	8/5	Integration	J. Velazquez	C. McGaughey