While the close relatives Sierra Leone and Forever Young (JPN) engaged in a not-so-friendly family spat down the straight, Mystik Dan enjoyed an unhindered rail run to capture the 150th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Dowms, completing a memorable weekend for jockey Brian Hernandez Jr and trainer Ken McPeek.
In a finish that had the crowd of over 156,000 on their feet, Mystik Dan nosed out Coolmore’s $2,300,000 Gun Runner yearling Sierra Leone with a nose back to Japan’s UAE Derby hero Forever Young, the first defeat for the son of former Arrowfield shuttler Real Steal (JPN).
An 8-length winner of the Gr.III Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park in February, Mystik Dan was coming off a well-beaten third in the Gr.1 Arkansas Derby.
It was the third win in seven starts for Mystik Dan who completed the Kentucky Oaks- Derby double for McPeek and Hernandez after Thorpedo Anna won the fillies classic on Friday.
A good deal of attention was focused on the battle between Tyler Gaffalione on Sierra Leone and Ryusei Sakai on Forever Young. It was more surprising that stewards did have a say.
Forever Young is out of the Gr.II winner Forever Darling (Congrats) a half-sister to the Gr.1 Alcibiades Stakes winner Heavenly Love (Malibu Moon) the dam of Sierra Leone.
It was the first win in the Kentucky Derby for Ken McPeek.
"It still hasn't sunk in. You know, it's unbelievable," McPeek said.
"We came into the weekend thinking we had good chances, really big chances, both Friday and Saturday and then to just have the horses pull it off for us."
There is little doubt the ground-saving ride by Brian Hernandez Jr proved decisive.
"We might have taken out a little bit of the inside fence, but that's OK," Hernandez said. "Once he cut the corner, he got a little separation on closers that were forced to kind of go around horses and he was able to hold them off."
A homebred for Lance Gasaway, Daniel Hamby & 4G Racing, Mystik Dan is the only runner for Ma'am, a 4-time winner by the Tiznow stallion Colonel John who now stands in Korea.
Ma'am was purchased privately after she was a $9,500 RNA at the 2014 Keeneland September sale.
Ma'am’s dam Lady Siphonica (Siphon) is a sister to Gr.1 Hollywood Futurity winner Siphonic and a half to Listed winner Mountain Girl (Mountain Cat).
Mystik Dan is the second elite level winner for Spendthrift Farm’s dual Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile and Santa Anita Derby winner Goldencents.
The son of Into Mischief stands the 2004 season for $10,000.
