What is this? A center for...horses?
Eight thoroughbreds will take center stage at the 2024 Preakness Stakes on Saturday, and a quick glance at the field for the second leg of the Triple Crown may bring to mind an iconic Will Ferrell character for some.
That's because the colt set to start from the No. 1 post position at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore is Mugatu, which is the same name of the villain played by Ferrell in the "Zoolander" comedy films.
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The horse, who's owned by Average Joe Racing Stables and Dan Wells, is indeed named after Ferrell's "Zoolander" character. In fact, Mugatu's sire, or father, has the name Blofeld, which is a nod to the villain from the "James Bond" franchise.
Mugatu qualified for the 2024 Kentucky Derby as a second alternate, but ultimately didn't draw into the field at Churchill Downs. He has one victory, one second-place finish and three third-place finishes in 12 starts.
Mugatu was assigned 20-1 morning line odds for Saturday's Preakness, which is scheduled for 6:50 p.m. ET. The race will air on NBC, Peacock, NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app.
