Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan returned to the track Wednesday at Churchill Downs, jogging a mile and galloping a mile, but trainer Kenny McPeek reiterated his stance that he will wait several more days before deciding whether or not to send him to Baltimore for the $2 million Preakness on May 18.

McPeek said Mystik Dan walked for three days before returning to the track, which typically is what McPeek does with his horses after a race. McPeek said “all good” when asked how Mystik Dan appears to be doing. “He’s staying in the feed tub, nothing’s out of place.”

ARCADIA, Calif. – A triple-digit carryover enhances an ordinary pick six Friday at Santa Anita, where budget-conscious bettors will find potential singles in a pair of turf sprints.

Average field size in the $1 pick six, races 3 to 8, ticks just above six per race. Not great. But with a carryover of $104,581 and more than $400,000 in new money expected, it’s worth taking a shot. The turf sprints with conspicuous favorites are races 4 and 8. Below is a look at the sequence.

After a whirlwind week at Churchill Downs, trainer Eric Foster is back in action looking for another stakes win in a career year this Friday at Belterra Park. Foster, who sent out his first Kentucky Oaks starter last week in creditable fifth-place Everland, will saddle favored Alwaysintomischief in the $75,000 Daryl E. Parker Memorial Tall Stack Stakes for Ohio-bred 3-year-olds at 6 1/2 furlongs.

In winning the season’s first 2-year-old race for fillies at Santa Anita on May 3, Broadway Venus became the third debut winner from five runners produced by the mare Star of Munster.

Broadway Venus also is the first 2-year-old winner to go on vacation. Due to an absence of local opportunities, she was sent to a layup facility for a month of downtime.

“There are no options,” trainer Ryan Hanson said. “If you win a 2-year-old maiden race [in spring], the next chance for California-breds is not until Aug. 4 at Del Mar. It’s a big problem we have out here.”

After starting the year winning two Grade 3 turf races at Santa Anita and finishing second in the Grade 2 Elkhorn Stakes on April 20 at Keeneland, Missed the Cut is going up the ladder and across the pond.

The 5-year-old exited the Elkhorn in good shape and trainer John Sadler confirmed he will aim to the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes on June 22 at Royal Ascot.

“That’s what we’re looking at, Royal Ascot, he would train up,” Sadler said.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Sofia Vives led the Woodbine jockey standings after the first four days of the meet with eight wins. She has a chance to sweep the early double on the Friday card with a pair of Robert Tiller-trained runners, So Called Vacation and Firebolt.

Vives, who was voted the 2023 Sovereign Award for outstanding apprentice, has her weight allowance until Aug. 25. She has seven mounts on the first Friday of the meet, an eight-race card with a 1:10 p.m. post time.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Stronghold and Endlessly, seventh and ninth, respectively, in the Kentucky Derby, were scheduled to return to Santa Anita this week to be freshened for summer campaigns. Stronghold will stay on dirt, Endlessly will return to turf, and both are likely to drop in class for their next start.

Stronghold’s trainer Phil D’Amato said “we’ll bring him back here and recharge the batteries. They’ve got a bunch of straight 3-year-old stakes in the Midwest.”

ARCADIA, Calif. – Judge Miller went backward on speed figures when he finished second April 20 at Santa Anita in the Grade 2 Californian, but no one is sounding an alarm. After earning a 105 Beyer Speed Figure winning an entry-level allowance Feb. 24, Judge Miller regressed to a 94 in the Californian.

“It was only his fourth lifetime start, and I think seasoning caught up with him a little bit,” trainer Mark Glatt said this week. “He came back good. I think he’ll bounce back and still develop into a bona fide stakes horse.”

ARCADIA, Calif. – California trainer Jorge Periban will put a perfect record in Kentucky on the line June 30, when he sends the dazzling 2-year-old debut winner Bodacious from Santa Anita to Churchill Downs for the Bashford Manor Stakes.

Periban is 2 for 2 in Churchill stakes – Phantom Boss won the 2019 Bashford Manor, Tom’s Regret won the 2022 Kentucky Juvenile. Both were favorites. Based on an impressive debut, the newest Periban trainee may follow suit.