Mystik Dan, winner of the 2024 Kentucky Derby, will stand at Airdrie Stud in Midway, Ky., upon the conclusion of his ongoing racing career, the farm announced on Monday.
Mystik Dan is trained by Kenny McPeek for the ownership group of Lance Gasaway, 4G Racing LLC., Daniel Hamby III, and Valley View Farm. He most recently won the Grade 3 Blame Stakes on May 31 at Churchill Downs, and is targeting the Grade 1 Stephen Foster on June 28 beneath the twin spires.
The Blame was the third career graded stakes win for Mystik Dan. He captured the Grade 3 Southwest and was third in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby last year before memorably capturing the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby, nosing out Sierra Leone and Forever Young. The Blame was his first win since the Derby, although he was second in the Preakness Stakes.
“His historic win in the Kentucky Derby will ensure that name recognition will never be an issue for Mystik Dan, but what we really want is for breeders to focus on some of the other performances that showcase how genuinely talented he has always been,” Bret Jones of Airdrie, which also stands 2023 Derby winner Mage, said in a release.
“His win at 2, where he opens up seven lengths going 5 1/2 furlongs and runs a near 100 Beyer [Speed Figure] is as impressive as any juvenile race you’ll ever see,” Jones outlined. “And it’s that same brilliant turn of foot that he showed when winning the Southwest by eight lengths that allowed him to open up a clear advantage in the Derby stretch despite being close to a pace that sent every other forwardly-placed horse to the back of the field. He’s shown that he can train on with a stakes-record performance in the Blame, and I know Kenny really believes he’s poised to be one of the best older horses in the country this year. He’s an exceptional talent with that unmistakable Into Mischief look, and we couldn’t be more grateful to his great ownership team for the opportunity to stand their Kentucky Derby winner.”
Mystik Dan is by successful sire Goldencents, a two-time winner of the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, and also winner of the Santa Anita Derby. Goldencents is one of several promising sons at stud by six-time reigning leading sire Into Mischief, the sire of three Kentucky Derby winners. McPeek trained Into Mischief’s sire, multiple Grade 1 winner Harlan’s Holiday.
“I trained a great sire in Harlan’s Holiday, and I promise you, Mystik Dan is every bit as good or better than Harlan’s Holiday ever was,” McPeek said in the release. “Honestly, he reminds me of Northern Dancer in the way he’s made and the way he moves – he’s just exceptionally balanced and athletic. He’s got such great speed, and he stays. Those are traits everyone wants in a racehorse. I think he’s got every chance to be a really top stallion, and we’re going to be breeding and buying a lot of them!”
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