Mystik Dan Completes Oaks-Derby Sweep for McPeek, Hernandez
By Dick Downey
@DowneyProfile
Posted May 4, 2024
Mystik Dan outlasted Sierra Leone and Forever Young to win the 150th Kentucky Derby with only two noses separating the threesome at the finish line.
After the field turned for home for the final quarter-mile of the race, Mystik Dan and Brian Hernandez, Jr. emerged from the rail and established a clear lead holding a two-length advantage at the eighth-pole. They barely held off second and third betting choices Sierra Leone, ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, and Japanese invader Forever Young, with Ryusei Sakai aboard, after those two were 17th and 16th, respectively after the first half-mile of the race.
The win came about 25 hours after trainer Kenny McPeek and Hernandez won the Kentucky Oaks, Kentucky's second most storied race, with Thorpedo Anna. McPeek's prior best Derby result was a second-place finish by Tejano Run in 1995. It was the first Kentucky Derby win for Hernandez as well. The last trainer to win an Oaks-Derby double was Ben Jones in 1952, and in 2009 Calvin Borel was the last jockey to complete the feat.
Favored Fierceness and John Velazquez broke cleanly near the outside of the 20-horse gate. He quickly moved into a stalking position outside Track Phantom and Just Steel, the former setting fractions of 22.97 for the first quarter-mile, 46.63 for the half and six furlongs in 1:11.36. Fierceness moved to second in the far turn and contended with Track Phantom to the top of the stretch.
Fierceness appeared poised to win only to suddenly be swallowed up by his competition, along with Track Phantom, en route to a 15th-place finish. As Track Phantom drifted out, Mystik Dan charged through the hole to secure the lead by a head with a quarter-mile remaining after he got a mile in 1:37.46. Mystik Dan ran straight through the stretch as Sierra Leone and Forever Young exchanged bumps in the middle of the track only to come up just short.
It was the closest three-horse photo finish since Jet Pilot beat Phalanx by a head, followed a head by Faultless in 1947.
At 18-1 odds $2 tickets wagered on Mystik Dan paid $39.22 to win, $16.32 to place and 10.00 to show. Sierra Leone returned $6.54 to place and $4.64 to show, and Forever Young paid $5.58 to show.
Catching Freedom finished fourth, beaten 1 3/4 lengths, with another Japanese-based horse, Passport T O, finishing fifth in only his third career start. The final time for Mystik Dan was 2:03.34.
Mystik Dan came into the race off a troubled trip in the Arkansas Derby when he was knocked sideways by a horse that bolted early in the backstretch. He persevered to finish third, and that placement brought his earnings to $641,360 with two wins, a second and a third from six starts. The winner's share of the $5 million purse in the Kentucky Derby, is $3,100,000, more than the entire $3,000,000 purse last year.
KENTUCKY DERBY CHART FROM EQUIBASE
2024 Kentucky Derby Facts, Figures; Jockey and Trainer Quotes
Winning Connections and Other Facts about Mystik Dan prior to the Kentucky Derby
Morning line: 20-1
Final odds: 18-1
Derby number: 3
Derby Points: 46
Non-Restricted Stakes Earnings: $$550,050
Jockey: Brian Hernandez, Jr.
Trainer: Kenny McPeek
Owner and Breeder: Lance Gasaway, 4G Racing LLC and Daniel Hamby III
Sire (Sire’s Sire, Dam): Goldencents (Into Mischief, Golden Works (CAN))
Dam (Dam’s Sire, Dam): Ma'am (Colonel John, Lady Siphonica)
Dosage Profile (Points) Index: 0-1-1-0-0 (2) 3.00
Foal Date: March 4, 2021
Bred: Kentucky
Arrival at Churchill Downs: April 10, barn 7
Auction Prices: Not applicable. Mystik Dan is a homebred.
The Top Five Finishers
1. Mystik Dan
2. Sierra Leone
3. Forever Young (JPN)
4. Catching Freeom
5. T O Password
Time, Track Condition
Winning Time: 2:03.34
Track: Fast
Race Fractions
Track Phantom led at the first three calls with splits of 22.97, 46.63 and 1:11.36. Mystik Dan was in charge after a mile in 1:37.46. The Equibase chart does not state a time for nine furlongs. The winning time was 2:03.34, relatively slow by Kentucky Derby standards.
Mystik Dan's internal fractions were 23.82 seconds, 47.18, 1:11.51 and 1:37.46. He ran the final quarter-mile in 25.88 seconds.
Winning Margins
Mystik Dan won by a nose over Sierra Leone, who was a nose ahead of Forever Young. Catching Freedom was another 1 3/4 lengths back in fourth.
Purse
$5,000,000. First $3,100,000; second $1,000,000; third $500,000; fourth $250,000; fifth $150,000.
Win-Place-Show Payoffs
Mystik Dan $39.22 16.32 10.00
Sierra Leone 6.54 4.64
Forever Young 5.58
Miscellaneous Other Payoffs
$1 Oaks-Derby Double: $118.43
$2 Exacta: $258.56
50 cent Trifecta $556.92
$1 Superfecta $8,254.07
50 cent Pick 3: $319.06
50 cent Pick 4: $18,229.93
50 cent Pick 5: $188,957.75
20 cent Pick 6: $345,073.62
$1 Super High 5: $316.920.10
$1.00 Daily Double: $139.27
Future Pool 1 (#40 all others) $3.90
Sire Pool (#40 all others) $9.26
Future Pool 2 (#23) $212.14
Future Pool 3 (#40) $6.88
Future Pool 4 (#26) $44.70
Future Pool 5 (#25) $35.74
Future Pool 6 (#24) $72.98
Order of finish, beaten lengths
1. Mystik Dan
2. Sierra Leone, nose
3. Forever Young, nose
4. Catching Freedom, 1 3/4
5. T O Password, 6 1/2
6. Resilience, 7 3/4
7. Stronghold, 12 3/4
8. Honor Marie, 13 1/2
9. Endlessly, 13 3/4
10. Dornoch, 18
11. Track Phantom, 18 1/2
12. West Saratoga, 22 1/2
13. Domestic Product, 22 3/4
14. Epic Ride, 23 3/4
15. Fierceness, 24 1/2
16. Society Man, 32 1/2
17. Just Steel, 33 3/4
18. Grand Mo The First, 37
19. Catalytic, 40 3/4
20. Just A Touch, 54
Announced Attendance
2024: Attendance 156,710
2023: Attendance 150,325
2022: Attendance 147,294
2021: Attendance 51,838
2020: Spectators not allowed
2019: Attendance 150,729
2018: Attendance 157,813
2017: Attendance 158,070
2016: Attendance 167,227, second highest
2015: Attendance: 170,513, a record
2014 Attendance: 164,906
2013 Attendance 151,616
2012 Attendance 165,307
2011 Attendance: 164,858
2010 Attendance: 155,804
2009 Attendance: 153,563
2008 Attendance: 157,770
2007 Attendance: 156,635
2006 Attendance: 157,536
TRIVIA
Winner Lengths from Pace
First 1/4 mile: eighth, 4 1/4 lengths from pace; second 1/4 mile: sixth, 2 3/4 lengths; third 1/4 mile: fourth, 1 length; fourth 1/4 mile: led by a head; fifth quarter-mile: led by two lengths
Battle of the Cox horses
Catching Freedom as 4th; Just a Touch was 20th and last
Battle of the Brown horses
Sierra Leone was second; Domestic Product was 13th
Best, Worst in Proportion to Odds
Best finish of a low-odds horse: Sierra Leone finished second at 9-2 odds
Worst finish of a low-odds horse: Fierceness finished 15th at 3-1 odds
Best finish of a high-odds horse: Mystik Dan won at 18-1 odds
Worst finish of a high-odds horse: Catalytic finished 19th at 34-1 odds
Show Bet in the Derby
At 18-1 odds, Mystik Dan paid 10.00
At 9-2 odds, Sierra Leone paid 4.54
At 7-1 odds, Forever Young paid 5.58
Wagering Business
Wagering on the Kentucky Derby day card from all sources was the highest in history, $320.5 million, beating last year’s record of $288.7 million. All-sources wagering on the Kentucky Derby was a new record of $210.7 million, beating the previous record of $188.7 million set in 2023. All-sources handle for Derby Week rose to a new record of $446.6 million, beating last year’s record of $412.0 million. TwinSpires handled a new record of $92.1 million in wagering on Churchill Downs races for the Kentucky Derby Day program, compared to last year’s record of $75.5. TwinSpires’ handle on the Kentucky Derby was a new record of $60.9 million, beating last year’s record of $48.9 million, including all settled future wagers and affiliate wagering.
POST-RACE JOCKEY AND TRAINER QUOTES
Brian Hernandez Jr., Jockey, Mystik Dan, winner: “It still hasn’t sunk in, it’s so unbelievable. We came into the weekend thinking that we had a really big chance at winning both Friday and Saturday. For the horses to pull it off for us, we have to thank the guys back in the barn. It’s definitely a surreal moment. The last 20 years I’ve ridden in Kentucky, and as a young kid out of Louisiana, I had the chance of sitting in the same corner as Calvin Borel. Watching him ride all those Derbys all those years, and today with Mystik Dan, being in the 3 hole, I watched a couple of his rides, with Super Saver and Mine That Bird, and I decided that we were going to roll the dice. That’s the nice thing about Kenny, he lets me make those decisions. We had the right kind of horse to give him that kind of trip.”
Kenny McPeek, Trainer, Mystik Dan, winner: “For three weeks, I’ve felt like we were going to win both races. I can’t tell you why. Both horses have been easy to deal with, the team has done such a great job every day. There’s been no drama. I just believe in mojo, in positive energy and we’ve had a lot of it.”
Tyler Gaffalione, Jockey, Sierra Leone, runner-up: “Everything was going to plan as the horse got into a good rhythm on the first turn as we were able to save ground. I got into a nice position and followed Forever Young and he started to make a good move. I decided to follow him and coming into the stretch, I felt like I had plenty of horse. He wanted to lean in today and made it a little difficult. I had a hard time keeping him straight and that definitely cost us. He gives you everything, very responsive but he loses concentration.”
Chad Brown, Trainer, Sierra Leone, runner-up: “You get beat a nose in the Kentucky Derby, it’s a tough one. But he’s a tremendous horse, nearly undefeated. I’m just so lucky to have him, so proud of his effort today. He did what we asked him to do, just came up a little bit short. (I didn’t think I won) watching it live, but then when they started showing the slo mo, I thought maybe this could be a dead heat because I got a great bob. I just wasn’t in front. I got a great bob actually, but it’s tough to know which angles the TV actually has. But it didn’t feel good when they started to show the 3 horse on the pan shot on the TV. It’s just so hard to get here, so many things have to go right and you have to have the right horse. It’s disappointing the result but I’m so proud of the horse. He ran his race. When you have a deep closer like that, you have to go through some traffic and go wide. I’ll have to look at his trip a little bit closer. But it doesn’t really matter, he got beat a nose.”
Flavien Prat, Jockey, Catching Freedom, fourth: “I was traveling well and had a chance to cut every corner and save all the ground. I was behind the winner turning for home and had a good run.”
Brad Cox, Trainer, Catching Freedom, fourth: “Beautiful trip. When he turned for home, he gave him a good kick. He looked like a winner coming off the turn and just couldn’t go on. Maybe that extra eighth of a mile made a difference.”
Kazushi Kimura, Jockey, T O Password, fifth: “He didn’t break well. This was his third time running and he was in a new country. He probably wasn’t 100 percent mature. Today he finished up strong. I hope the horse can stay for the Preakness.”
Junior Alvarado, Jockey, Resilience, sixth: “He ran great. I had a great trip and turning for home I thought I had a chance. He ran great.”
Antonio Fresu, Jockey, Stronghold, seventh: “I had a beautiful race all the way around. I was very relaxed all the way and then in the stretch when I tried to make a move, he went for a little bit, he got discouraged but didn’t show up in the last part.”
Ben Curtis, Jockey, Honor Marie, eighth: “My race was over coming out of the gate. I got speared from both sides, I lost an iron and had to put it back in. He was nearly down on his head but I gave him time to pick himself up. He didn’t get the smoothest first quarter of a mile and I just let him float around a bit after that. Then I took to the inside because I didn’t want to give away any more ground. He paid for the early exertion but he ran a credible race.”
Umberto Rispoli, Jockey, Endlessly, ninth: “This was his first time on the dirt and he got a lot of kick back in his face. He actually handled it pretty well. Just before the quarter-pole I was trying to follow Sierra Leone but I got in a little traffic. I think he’s a horse that needs to be clear. He ran hard down the lane.”
Michael McCarthy, Trainer, Endlessly, ninth: “He got away from there OK. But the way he runs from the back wasn’t good today. We were concerned about him taking too much dirt in the face, but maybe we shouldn’t have been. He ran ninth and I am happy for him.”
Luis Saez, Jockey, Dornoch, 10th: “He had a really rough trip. Everyone came down on me leaving the gate even after he jumped well. It was just a tough position.”
Danny Gargan, Trainer, Dornoch, 10th: “He had a very bad trip. He was eliminated early. He got very tired. I’m disappointed in the way he ran today.”
Joel Rosario, Jockey, Track Phantom, 11th: “I was on the lead for a while. He ran his race but we couldn’t hang in there. He did his best.”
Jesus Castanon, Jockey, West Saratoga, 12th: “I have no complaints. I was in a good spot early with him but when I got to the half-mile pole, I felt like my horse wasn’t picking up the bridle. He gave me a little run late but it wasn’t his best.”
Irad Ortiz Jr., Jockey, Domestic Product, 13th: “I was very disappointed. We missed the first jump out of the gate, stumbled a little bit. After that, I tried to slow him down and he was fighting me. I was trying get the best out of him and it didn’t work out.”
Adam Beschizza, Jockey, Epic Ride, 14th: “I broke super sharp from the outside post. It was probably a little too fast for the opening quarter-mile. I was a little too aggressive going past the wire. It was a rough, busy race. I was able to keep it uninterrupted for the most for him. It’s just probably a bit too far.”
John Ennis, Trainer, Epic Ride, 14th: “He ran good. He probably didn’t want to run a mile and a quarter. That’s too far for him.”
John Velazquez, Jockey, Fierceness, 15th: “His first jump was not very good. His second and third jump he was OK. He got pretty aggressive since I had to give him a nudge out of there. The horses on the outside put the pressure on and then he got into the bridle. I tried to keep him as settled as much without letting doing too much but he was already engaged. When I let him go, he just didn’t have it.”
Todd Pletcher, Trainer, Fierceness, 15th: “Johnny (Velazquez) said he hopped a little at the start. Then he got wound up in all the company around him trying to make the lead. He couldn’t shake loose like he did in Florida. Just one of those races.”
Frankie Dettori, Jockey, Society Man, 16th: “It was a great atmosphere. My horse tried but he’s probably not at this level. I enjoyed myself, absorbed all the atmosphere and really enjoyed it.”
Danny Gargan, Trainer, Society Man, 16th: “He had a nice trip. He tried hard and that’s the way it goes.”
Keith Asmussen, Jockey, Just Steel, 17th: “I got squeezed a little bit leaving the gate. He was a little aggressive down the front side for the first time but relaxed beautifully up the backside. I think the world of the horse still. I thought he was in the position to win but just couldn’t get it done today.”
Wayne Lukas, Trainer, Just Steel, 17th: “I thought he ran OK. But he got roughed up leaving there and that :22, :46 did not help at all.”
Jose Ortiz, Jockey Catalytic, 19th: “I broke very cleanly. I was very happy with my trip to the first turn and it was what I was looking for. I was following Brian (Hernandez) on the backside and when we hit the half-mile pole, I couldn’t keep up.”
Florent Geroux, Jockey, Just a Touch, 20th: “I was in the middle, got bounced around a lot from both sides. From there, my horse was very keen, a little relaxed and when it was time to go, he wasn’t there for me. He used a lot of energy early.”
Brad Cox, Trainer, Just a Touch, 20th: “He got bounced around at the start and his race was kind of over after an eighth of a mile, looked like to me and Florent (Geroux) kind of agreed. Overall I was very happy with Catching Freedom’s effort, I really was and the ride Flavien (Prat) gave him. We’ll regroup, not sure where we’ll land.”