RACING CAREER

Tied with Just Steel for the most starts in this Preakness field with twelve, Mugatu started from more humble beginnings at Ellis Park in June. Going for only $14,000 as a yearling, it took some time for Mugatu to mature and pick up his maiden win, improving from a distant sixth in his debut to a close second his third time out. 

After a surface change to turf at Ellis Park, trainer Jeff Engler stepped Mugatu up in class to Keeneland, where he finished dead last after an uncharacteristic forward start. Shipped to Gulfstream for a try on the all weather track in November, Mugatu settled into a mid-pack trip and finally broke through for his first win going a mile and seventy.

A following group of four unimpressive allowance wins saw Mugatu start slow and finish respectably, hoping to take advantage of a quick early pace. Despite these performances, Engler entered Mugatu into the John Battaglia Memorial at Turfway where he passed tiring horses to capture fourth at nearly 70/1 odds. After another tune-up stakes try at Turfway where he never threatened, Mugatu entered into the Blue Grass where he was clearly overmatched at odds of 181/1. In a field of ten, Mugatu went from last to fifth, good enough to qualify as an also eligible for the Kentucky Derby. 

After narrowly missing out on reaching the Derby gate, Engler will try Mugatu in the Preakness, hoping that the front end speed falls apart and this massive longshot runs the race of his life to close into the money.

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BLOODLINES

Newer to stud is Mugatu’s sire Blofeld, who doesn’t quite have the reputation of the other sires in the Preakness. With no runners who have earned over $400,000 in their careers, Blofeld is still making his name as a sire, though he has been getting solid runners and plentiful winners from modest dams. 

Broodmare sire Union Rags was the winner of the Belmont in 2012. Union Rags has been more prolific as a sire than broodmare sire, with five grade I winners produced. Dam Union Way was winless in nine career starts, and her foals have been modest runners.

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING

Trainer Jeff Engler likes the improvement he sees in Mugatu, and unsurprisingly thinks more distance is good for the deep closer. He spoke on Mugatu’s chances to Pimlico News, stating “He’s getting better. He really moved up on the dirt. His numbers proved it. Seize the Grey, who won the Pat Day Mile, we finished in front of him in the Blue Grass. I heard Seize the Grey is going in the Preakness, so it’s a logical spot. We were a little frustrated we didn’t get into the Derby. We feel the more distance the better for this horse. I do like the mile and three-sixteenths, so we’re going to head up.”

If Mugatu runs as well as Seize the Grey did last time out, he could shock a lot of bettors who are likely to overlook him as the longest shot on the board. A quick pace is needed, but his late moves should translate well to the mile and three-sixteenths.