Mystik Dan, the brilliant winner of the 150th Grade 1 Kentucky Derby, will stand at Airdrie Stud in Midway, Kentucky, upon the conclusion of his racing career. The son of Goldencents has amassed more than $4.4 million in earnings to date and continues to be a standout in his division.
He has been campaigned by trainer Kenny McPeek for the ownership team of Lance Gasaway, 4G Racing LLC, Daniel Hamby III, and Valley View Farm LLC.
Bret Jones
“His historic win in the Kentucky Derby will ensure that name recognition will never be an issue for Mystik Dan,” said Bret Jones of Airdrie Stud. “But what we really want is for breeders to focus on some of the other performances that showcase how genuinely talented he has always been.
His win at 2, where he opens up 7 lengths going 5 ½ furlongs and runs a near 100 Beyer, is as impressive as any juvenile race you’ll ever see. And it’s that same brilliant turn of foot that he showed when winning the Southwest by 8 lengths that allowed him to open up a clear advantage in the Derby stretch despite being close to a pace that sent every other forwardly placed horse to the back of the field.
He’s shown that he can train on with a stakes-record performance in the Blame, and I know Kenny really believes he’s poised to be one of the best older horses in the country this year. He’s an exceptional talent with that unmistakable Into Mischief look, and we couldn’t be more grateful to his great ownership team for the opportunity to stand their Kentucky Derby winner.”
Mystik Dan first turned heads as a 2-year-old with a 7¾-length maiden win going 5½ furlongs at Churchill Downs, earning a 96 Beyer Speed Figure — one of the top juvenile numbers of 2023.
He stamped himself as a top-class sophomore with an 8-length romp in the G3 Southwest Stakes, and he confirmed his elite status in the Kentucky Derby by defeating Sierra Leone, Forever Young, Dornoch, Fierceness, and other top contenders in one of the deepest fields in recent memory.
His 3-year-old campaign also included a runner-up finish in the G1 Preakness Stakes and third in the G1 Arkansas Derby. Now a 4-year-old, Mystik Dan returned to the Churchill Downs winner’s circle in the Grade 3 Blame Stakes on May 31, setting a new stakes record in the process.
His next start is expected to come in the Grade 1 Stephen Foster Stakes, with the Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Del Mar as the year-end goal.
Mystik Dan is the first foal out of Ma’am, a four-time winning daughter of Colonel John. His female family includes Grade 1 winners Laragh and Siphonic, as well as multiple graded-stakes-winning millionaire Summer Front.
Kenny McPeek
“I trained a great sire in Harlan’s Holiday,” said trainer Kenny McPeek, “and I promise you Mystik Dan is every bit as good or better than Harlan’s Holiday ever was. Honestly, he reminds me of Northern Dancer in the way he’s made and the way he moves — he’s just exceptionally balanced and athletic. He’s got such great speed and he stays. Those are traits everyone wants in a racehorse. I think he’s got every chance to be a really top stallion, and we’re going to be breeding and buying a lot of them!”
Lance Gasaway
“Mystik Dan has given us the ride of a lifetime,” added co-owner Lance Gasaway, “and we sure think he’s going to give us some more great days before it’s all said and done. He’s such a calm and personable horse — always such a pleasure to be around. We are going to miss him when the time comes, but we are honored to partner with Airdrie Stud and very excited for what the future holds.”
Source: McPeek Racing communication. Quotes from Bret Jones, Kenny McPeek, and Lance Gasaway.
Published by Spot On Racing – All rights reserved.
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