Mystic Guide's a Matt Winn Stakes scratch; here's what's next
Promising maiden winner Mystic Guide, who was entered to hit the Kentucky Derby trail in Saturday's Matt Winn Stakes (G3), has scratched from the Churchill Downs feature.
Trainer Michael Stidham informed Churchill Downs publicity the Ghostzapper colt will likely be redirected to an allowance race for non-winners of two races at either Churchill or Belmont Park.
Mystic Guide prevailed at second asking back on March 21 at Fair Grounds, pulling away by five lengths in an eye-catching score days after the Derby's postponement to Sept. 5. While the Matt Winn allots Derby points on a 50-20-10-5 basis to its top-four finishers, the race favorite Maxfield is also campaigned by Godolphin.
Stidham said Godolphin wants to keep Mystic Guide and Maxfield, who's exiting a layoff dating back to last October, separated.
Mystic Guide had drawn the rail and sized up as a 15-1 shot in the Matt Winn. Maxfield, at 5-2 on the morning line, drew post 10 in a field of 12 3-year-olds to go 1 1/16 miles.
Post time is 5:44 p.m. ET for the Matt Winn, which goes as Race 10 on the card.