NAPLES, Fla. — Mystic Dan is the horse who won the Kentucky Derby, but did you know he has ties to Naples? His owners live in The Isles of Collier.
Right next door is Treviso Bay, which has a winning horse of its own, too. Seize the Grey is the horse who won the Preakness Stakes.
The 2024 Belmont Stakes is coming up on Saturday, June 8 on Fox 4 and it's sparking quite the friendly rivalry between the neighborhoods.
Ken and Mary Myles own Seize the Grey. Katie and Scott Hamby are Mystic Dan's owners.
"It's very exciting to have a horse that is racing, but let alone have a horse that gets to the Preakness and wins, and now we're fortunate enough to be in the Belmont," Ken said.
It begs the question, what are the odds?
"It's hard to get in...there's about 18,000 horses that try to make it and the top 20 in the country are in the Derby," Ken said.
Then it begs the question again: what are they odds that two horses winning two of the biggest races, have owners, in neighboring complexes in Naples? It's getting the people who live there excited for the Belmont on Saturday.
"Treviso Bay is going to win, there's no way around it," said resident Denise Richardello.
Competitive emotions are running high between the two neighborhoods.
"I'm going to tell you these two... they are impressive horses but at the end, it will be Seize the Grey," said resident of both communities, Shane O'Dell.
No matter who wins, they say their horses are awaiting treats either way.
They want peppermints and carrots — Mystic Dan will be rewarded," the Hambys said.
