Airdrie Stud announced Monday that 2024 Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan will stand at their Midway, Kentucky facility upon the conclusion of his racing career.
The three-time graded stakes winner has amassed more than $4.4 million in earnings while racing for trainer Kenny McPeek and owners Lance Gasaway, 4G Racing LLC, Daniel Hamby III and Valley View Farm LLC.
Mystik Dan first captured attention with a dominant 7 3/4-length maiden victory at Churchill Downs last November as a juvenile, earning a 96 Beyer Speed Figure — one of the highest recorded by any two-year-old that season.
His Kentucky Derby triumph came against a formidable field that included Grade I winners Sierra Leone, Forever Young, Dornoch and Fierceness. The colt’s three-year-old campaign also featured an eight-length victory in Oaklawn’s GIII Southwest Stakes and placings in both the GI Preakness Stakes (second) and GII Arkansas Derby (third).
The four-year-old son of Goldencents recently returned to the Churchill Downs winner’s circle with a stakes-record performance in the GIII Blame Stakes on May 31. His connections have targeted the GI Stephen Foster Stakes on June 28 as his next start, with season-ending goals focused on the Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Del Mar.
Mystik Dan is the first foal out of the four-time winning Colonel John mare Ma’am. His female family includes Grade I winners Laragh and Siphonic, as well as multiple graded-stakes winning millionaire Summer Front.
“His historic win in the Kentucky Derby will ensure that name recognition will never be an issue for Mystik Dan,” said Airdrie’s Bret Jones, “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. His win at two, where he opens up seven lengths going 5 1/2 furlongs and runs a near-100 Beyer is as impressive as any juvenile race you’ll ever see. 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.”
Jones added, “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.”
McPeek expressed confidence in the colt’s stallion potential. “I trained a great sire in Harlan’s Holiday,” he said, “And I promise you Mystik Dan is every bit as good or better than Harlan’s Holiday ever was. 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!”
Co-owner Lance Gasaway reflected on the colt’s impact. “Mystik Dan has given us the ride of a lifetime and we sure think he’s going to give us some more great days before it’s all said and done. He’s such a calm and personable horse; always such a pleasure to be around. We are going to miss him when the time comes, but we are honored to partner with Airdrie Stud and very excited for what the future holds.”
