McPeek’s Mystik Dan Surprises in Sloppy Southwest

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert has often captured the Southwest Stakes (G3) at Oaklawn Park, winning the race six times since 2010, but this year’s Kentucky Derby (G1) prep on Feb. 3 belonged to trainer Kenny McPeek—as well as the supporting Martha Washington Stakes for 3-year-old fillies on the card.

McPeek, teaming with primary rider Brian Hernandez Jr., struck with Mystik Dan  in the $800,000 Southwest and Band of Gold  in the $250,000 Martha Washington. The duo earned 20 qualifying points apiece—3-year-old colt Mystik Dan toward the May 4 Kentucky Derby (G1) at Churchill Downs and Band of Gold toward the May 3 Kentucky Oaks (G1) for 3-year-olds.

McPeek has won a Preakness Stakes (G1) and Belmont Stakes (G1) but never the Kentucky Derby or the Kentucky Oaks. He has come close, running second in the 1995 Derby with Tejano Run, and has thrice trained the Kentucky Oaks runner-up: Take Charge Lady (2002), Daddys Lil Darling  (2017) and Swiss Skydiver  (2020).

McPeek and his owners had much to celebrate on a rainy day at Oaklawn Park Saturday, capped by the performance of Mystik Dan. Patiently handled by Hernandez to sit sixth early, the colt moved up under Hernandez on the second turn to be fourth, then unleashed an explosive inside move in the stretch to leave Just Steel  eight lengths behind him at the finish. He zipped 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.67.

Just Steel lasted for second by a neck over show finisher Liberal Arts . There was a nine-length gap to Awesome Road  in fourth, who was a nose ahead of another McPeek trainee, Common Defense , in fifth.

Favored Carbone , trained by Steve Asmussen, ran seventh and Baffert’s runner, Wynstock , was last of 12.

• The Goldencents   colt out of the Colonel John  mare Ma’am  improved to 2-1-0 in five starts and picked up a $408,000 first-place prize to increase his earnings to $510,110 for owners/breeders Lance Gasaway, 4 G Racing, and Daniel Hamby III. The colt’s prior score had been a fast sprint maiden win at Churchill.
• McPeek said he bought Ma’am for Mystik Dan’s owners and recommended the mating of Goldencents to her. He also said the colt was foaled at his Magdalena Farm near Lexington.
• “So there’s been a whole long process put together to get him here,” the trainer said. “He showed how fast he was in the fall, and now he’s learned his lessons and we got him to go longer.”
• Goldencents, a two-time Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) winner, stands for $10,000 at Spendthrift Farm in Kentucky. He ranked 25th on the general sire list last year by progeny earnings and will ascend to among the country’s leading sires in 2024 after Saturday’s racing action is fully tabulated.

Dixiana Farms’ Band of Gold also finished well in the Martha Washington, drawing clear for a 2 3/4-length victory over favored Denim and Pearls . She was timed in 1:45.16 over the sealed surface.

Neom Beach , Tapit Jenallie  and Promisemeanempire  rounded out the top five runners in which points were distributed on the same scale as the the Southwest.

Band of Gold paid even more than Mystik Dan, returning $50.60 for a $2 win wager. She is now 2-for-3. 

A Brereton Jones-bred daughter of Preservationist  , the gray/roan filly is the first black-type winner for her sire. The son of Arch, represented by his first 3-year-olds this season, is among the top 10 second-crop sires and stands for $5,000 at Airdrie Stud in Midway, Ky.