Mystik Dan looks to play spoiler once again in Arkansas Derby
Hot Springs, Ark.
The connections of Mystik Dan find themselves answering the question, “what have you done for me lately?” Not exactly what they expected after an impressive eight-length victory in the Grade 3, $800,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) on Feb. 24, but their horse figures to be no better than third choice in Saturday’s $1.5 million Arkansas Derby (G1).
Since the Southwest, most of the attention has turned to Rebel Stakes (G2) winner Timberlake and Muth, who has posted sparkling works in California for Hall of Famer Bob Baffert and who has never been worse than second. However, owner Lance Gasaway and his co-owners remain confident in their colt.
"Odds don't bother me,” said Gasaway, who races the Goldencents colt in partnership with Brent and Sharilyn Gasaway of 4G Racing and Daniel Hamby III. “I think we were 11-1 in the Southwest. One of my partners was asking why we weren't getting more respect, but I just told him that Brad (Cox) has been very successful in this race and Baffert's record speaks for itself. Timberlake, Brad's horse, looked impressive in the Rebel. It's going to be a good race. You have an 8-5 (Muth), a 9-5 (Timberlake) and we’re 5-2, so we match up pretty well."
The Southwest was the second career victory for Mystik Dan, who was overcoming a fifth-place finish in the Smarty Jones Stakes on Jan. 1, his 3-year-old debut. After that win, the connections decided to bypass the Rebel and wait for the Arkansas Derby. Following the Southwest, Mystik Dan returned to his Fair Grounds base and has been posting impressive workouts over the last month.
“We pressed him too early to make Smarty Jones,” Gasaway said. “When the Southwest got pushed back to three weeks before the Rebel because of the weather, we decided to wait for the Derby so he wouldn't bounce off that big effort. I went to the Fair Grounds about a month ago and saw him gallop. He's been doing great."
Watching Mystik Dan develop into a top 3-year-old has been even more special for his owners and trainer Kenny McPeek because they raced his mother, Ma’am, and planned his breeding. “The cool thing about this horse 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.”
Lance Gasaway, his cousin Brent and Hamby are all natives of Arkansas. The group is relishing having a top contender in the marquee race of the Oaklawn meet and its final prep for the Kentucky Derby.
"We're very excited, really excited,” Gasaway said. “It's not too often you get to run in a race like this in your home state. Hopefully, we can make our hometown proud."
Mystik Dan enters Saturday’s race with 21 points toward eligibility in the Kentucky Derby and is in 20th place on the leaderboard. He likely would need to finish first or second to earn a guaranteed spot in the Kentucky Derby field that is limited to 20 starters.
"Anytime you are involved in sports, you set goals,” Gasaway said. “The pinnacle of our sport is the Kentucky Derby, but the Arkansas Derby is currently our main goal. Hopefully, we can conquer this and move on to the next step."