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Christopher Britton, who has been involved in Thoroughbred ownership for the past 14 years, didn't have Preakness Stakes aspirations when he tasked bloodstock agent Dan Preiss with finding a horse for his Average Joe Racing Stables.
"We didn't have that big of a budget," Britton said. "We told our bloodstock agent, 'Find us as nice a one as you can get for US$15,000 at the OBS sale.'"
A 2YO colt by Blofeld became part of Average Joe Racing Stables and Dan Wells after fetching a "bargain" price of US$14,000. Choosing a name for the colt involved deliberation between Mugatu, inspired by the movie Zoolander, and Mr. Blojangles, a nod to his sire Blofeld. Ultimately, Mugatu won out.
Mugatu showcased his prowess by clinching an impressive graduation in his fifth career outing, conquering a mile-and-70-yard maiden special weight race on Tapeta at Gulfstream Park with a commanding lead of 3 1/4 lengths on November 18. Despite this promising start, he encountered several setbacks, remaining winless in five subsequent appearances at Gulfstream and Turfway. However, he displayed a remarkable performance surge by rallying from last place in a ten-horse field to secure a commendable fifth position in the prestigious Gr.1 Blue Grass at Keeneland's main track.
Notably, the competitors ahead of him in that race, namely Sierra Leone, Just a Touch, Epic Ride, and Dornoch, all made appearances in the Gr. 1 Kentucky Derby held the following Saturday.
"At first, we didn't want to get our hopes up because we were third alternate, Britton said. "Then Seize the Grey went ahead and dropped out and went to the Pat Day Mile, which was good for them because they won it. Then Encino scratched, and we were sitting here on Tuesday thinking it could be a reality. It didn't happen."
Britton has dedicated 17 years of his career to Union Home Mortgage in greater Cleveland, Ohio, where Bill Cosgrove, the CEO of Lea Farms, holds the reins.
Britton and Mugatu's trainer, Jeff Engler, share a longstanding friendship since they played sports together in their hometown of Westchester, Ohio.
Rose Petal Stable's Copper Tax is still being deliberated for a potential entry into the Preakness as his team continues to strategise for the next steps of the talented multiple-stakes victor.
Securing an automatic slot in the US$2 million Preakness following his impressive 3/4-length triumph in the $125,000 Federico Tesio over 1 1/8 miles on April 20 at Laurel Park, Copper Tax now faces the one 3/16-mile challenge of the Preakness.
"Right now, we do not know. We've been meeting with Capuano to discuss what the best opportunities are for us, whether we want to run him in the Preakness or another race that day or look at what's coming up on the horizon," Rose Petal's Chris Loso said. "We're still just kind of feeling it out.”
Reflecting on past challenges, including an incident where Copper Tax lost a shoe and encountered track bias in the Gr.2 Remsen last December, Loso emphasised the importance of selecting the most suitable race for the horse's abilities and performance potential.
While Informed Patriot, fresh off his Bathhouse Row Stakes victory, which secured a Preakness slot, has opted out of the Triple Crown's middle leg. Trainer Steve Asmussen revealed on "At the Races with Steve Byk" that the Hard Spun colt will target the Texas Derby at Lone Star Park on May 27 instead.
Despite his recent win, Informed Patriot's decision to skip the Preakness hints at a strategic shift, likely influenced by his fifth-place finishes in this year's graded stakes.