Arkansas Derby is likely next for Mystik Dan after Southwest win

Pushing the right buttons has trainer Kenny McPeek closer to a career milestone after he swept 1 1/16-mile qualifying races for the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks Saturday at Oaklawn with Mystik Dan and Band of Gold.

Band of Gold, under Brian Hernandez Jr., used a late burst to capture the $250,000 Martha Washington Stakes by 2 3/4 lengths. McPeek and Hernandez then teamed to win the Grade 3, $800,000 Southwest Stakes with Mystik Dan, whose eight-length victory was the second-largest since the race was lengthened to 1 1/16 miles in 2013.

Mystik Dan ($24.80) represented the 1,994th career North American victory for McPeek, according to Equibase.

“I’m getting there, yeah,” McPeek said, referring to the 2,000-win club.

Mystik Dan received a preliminary Beyer Speed Figure of 101, a career high, for his breakout performance in the Southwest, Oaklawn’s second of four Kentucky Derby qualifying races. Mystik Dan collected 20 qualifying points for the victory and ranks third on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard with 21 points.

Oaklawn’s Kentucky Derby qualifying series continues with the $1.25 million Rebel Stakes (G2) at 1 1/16 miles Feb. 24 and nine-furlong $1.5 million Arkansas Derby (G1) March 30.

McPeek said Sunday morning that Mystik Dan exited his victory in good order and should resurface in the Arkansas Derby.

The Southwest and Martha Washington originally were scheduled to be run Jan. 27, but were postponed a week after winter weather disrupted racing and training last month at Oaklawn.

Mystik Dan, in his 3-year-old and two-turn debut, had finished fifth in Oaklawn’s first Kentucky Derby points race, the $300,000 Smarty Jones Stakes Jan. 1.

Deciding to give Mystik Dan another chance around two turns in the Southwest, McPeek shipped the colt to Fair Grounds because of impending arctic conditions at Oaklawn that closed the track 11 days for training (Jan. 13-23).

Mystik Dan breezed twice at Fair Grounds, on Jan. 20 and Jan. 27, and upon his return to Oaklawn overwhelmed 10 Southwest opponents under a ground-saving ride from Hernandez.

“We had a good feeling before the race,” said Lance Gasaway, one of four Arkansans who bred and own Mystik Dan. “He wasn’t ready for the long race, the Smarty Jones. He needed the race, so we felt pretty confident coming into the race. He (McPeek) can do it.”

Mystik Dan is by two-time Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner Goldencents and the first foal to reach the races out of the McPeek-trained Ma’am, a daughter of Colonel John, whom Gasaway and Daniel Hamby III bred and raced in partnership. Hamby and 4 G Racing, consisting of Brent and Sharilyn Gasaway, also are partners in Mystik Dan. Lance and Brent Gasaway are cousins.

Ma’am broke her maiden at the 2016 Oaklawn meeting and won three more times before beginning a broodmare career.

“The cool thing about this horse (Mystik Dan) is that I bought his mother for Lance and the group, and she had a good career and then we foaled him at the farm in Lexington,” said McPeek, referring to his Magdalena Farm in Kentucky. “I recommended the mating. He needed some speed and, boy, he’s fast. It’s exciting.”

Mystik Dan, in his second career start, broke his maiden by 7 3/4 front-running lengths at 5 1/2 furlongs Nov. 12 at Churchill Downs. Wheeled back 13 days later in an entry-level allowance at Churchill Downs, Mystik Dan faded to fifth in the one-mile race. He was beaten 3 1/4 lengths in the Smarty Jones.

Mystik Dan is 2-for-5 overall and has earned $510,110.

A little more than an hour before the Southwest, McPeek struck in the Martha Washington with William Shively’s Band of Gold ($50.60), who was exiting a fifth-place finish in the $100,000 Untapable Stakes at one mile and 70 yards Dec. 23 at Fair Grounds.

McPeek said he decided to run Band of Gold in the Martha Washington after an allowance race at Oaklawn didn’t fill and stablemate Ice Cold suffered a career-ending leg injury last month. Ice Cold won the $200,000 Year’s End Stakes at one mile Dec. 31 at Oaklawn.

“We really felt like going into the race, we were going to have the favorite with her,” McPeek said, referring to the Martha Washington. “I shipped Band of Gold up here to run in an allowance race and it didn’t go. We were sitting here with a filly ready to run and then Ice Cold opted out. I said, ‘It only makes sense if you’ve got another good one sitting there, so let’s go.’ We’ve got a deep bench.”

Band of Gold earned 20 points for her Martha Washington victory and has 21 overall to rank fourth on the Kentucky Oaks leaderboard Downs. She generated a preliminary Beyer Speed Figure of 86, a career high, for winning the Martha Washington, her second victory in three starts.

Oaklawn’s Kentucky Oaks qualifying series continues with the Honeybee Stakes (G3) on Feb. 24 and Fantasy Stakes (G2) on March 30. Both races are 1 1/16 miles.

“We’ve got that same race coming back in three weeks,” McPeek said. “She may very well go in the Honeybee.”

A daughter of millionaire Grade 1 winner Preservationist, Band of Gold has earned $206,000.