Mystic Lake played catch-me-if-you-can in the $150,000 Miss Preakness Stakes (G3) at Pimlico Race Course May 17, and her 11 competitors were left chasing all the way to the wire.
In her first start with Flavien Prat in the irons, Mystic Lake broke sharply from the inside post position and outsprinted Launch in the opening sixteenth. Other expected pace pressure from Miss Harriett and Carmelina never materialized.
“She jumped very well and got a really good position. She did the rest from there,” Prat said. “She always runs forward. Obviously with the one hole, you got to break well, but she did and it turned out well.”
After comfortably setting fractions of :23.09 and :46.44, Mystic Lake was let loose by Prat as they turned for home.
“She put herself where she didn’t have any pressure and she kind of ran them off their feet,” Prat said.
Resolute Racing’s three-time stakes winner Youalmosthadme , who had been tracking behind Mystic Lake on the rail, was asked by jockey Tyler Gaffalione to pursue the loose leader, but could not keep pace. Mystic Lake lengthened her lead and streaked across the wire 4 1/2 lengths in front, completing the six furlongs in 1:11.40.
Youalmosthadme held on for second and Discreet Ops closed from nine lengths back to finish third.
Mystic Lake paid $13.60 for a $2 win bet.
The Miss Preakness is the first graded stakes victory for the 3-year-old daughter of Mo Town , who previously had won the Gasparilla Stakes and Sophomore Fillies Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs over the winter for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. The fourth win from nine starts elevated her career earnings to $291,554 for owners C2 Racing Stable and Stefania Farms.
Consigned by Tom McCrocklin, Mystic Lake was sold for $130,000 at the 2023 Ocala Breeders’ March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training. Earlier this week, she was offered at the Fasig-Tipton May Digital Selected Sale but RNA’d for $370,000.
Mo Town, a grade 1-winning son of Uncle Mo , stands the 2024 season for $5,000 at Coolmore’s Ashford Stud. Mystic Lake is the second graded stakes winner for the sire this season, and this month, after Play the Music won the Whimsical Stakes (G3) at Woodbine.
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