For Immediate Release

The $1.25 million G2-Rebel Stakes Feb. 24 at Oaklawn is among the races under consideration for Grade 1 winner Timberlake’s 3-year-old debut, trainer Brad Cox said Wednesday morning.

The 1 1/16-mile Rebel is Oaklawn’s third Kentucky Derby points race, a four-race series that culminates with the $1.5 million G1-Arkansas Derby March 30.

“He’s pointing for it,” Cox said. “We’ve got to see how our works go over the next several weeks, but he’s doing well. Hopefully, we can get him there.”

Timberlake, a son of super sire Into Mischief who races for Siena Farm and WinStar Farm, hasn’t started since finishing fourth in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) at 1 1/16 miles Nov. 3 at Santa Anita. Timberlake won the $500,000 Champagne Stakes (G1) at 1 mile Oct. 7 at Aqueduct in his previous start, beating, among others, Fierceness, who won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile to secure an Eclipse Award as the country’s champion 2-year-old male.

Based at the Fair Grounds, Timberlake returned to the work tab Jan. 20, covering 3 furlongs in :36.20. He breezed a half-mile in :49.20 Jan. 28 and another half-mile in :48.60 Saturday morning. Cox said the Rebel’s distance is appealing for Timberlake, who has never won around two turns.

“The other race in play for him would probably be the Gotham at Aqueduct,” Cox said. “He did win up in New York. He won the Champagne there at Aqueduct, so that could be something that is in play as well. We’ll see how he performs over the next few weeks breezing.”

Like the Champagne, the $300,000 G2-Gotham Stake March 2 is a one-turn mile. Nominations to the two-turn Rebel close Feb. 10. The race has a record purse in 2024 after previously being worth $1 million.

Cox won Oaklawn’s first Kentucky Derby points race this year ($300,000 Smarty Jones Stakes Jan. 1) with Catching Freedom. Cox is pointing Catching Freedom to the nine-furlong $400,000 G2-Risen Star Stakes Feb. 17 at the Fair Grounds. The hope, Cox said, is to then use the $1.5 million G1-Arkansas Derby as Catching Freedom’s final Kentucky Derby prep.

Cox has won the Arkansas Derby the last two years. No trainer has won Oaklawn’s Arkansas Derby three consecutive years.

Finish Lines

Jockey Kylee Jordan will be out indefinitely after dislocating her left shoulder in winning Friday’s fourth race at Oaklawn aboard Sweet Southern Mary, trainer Todd Jordan said Saturday morning. Jordan said his daughter was injured when she went to a left-handed whip about 150 yards from the finish line. She took off her remaining three mounts Friday. Bobby Dean, the jockey’s agent, said Saturday morning that a doctor’s examination next week would determine if Jordan needs surgery. Jordan has won riding titles at Will Rogers Downs and Prairie Meadows in her native Iowa. … A victory in Sunday’s eighth race at Oaklawn would place Kaboom Baby just short of becoming the all-time leading accredited Arkansas-bred female money winner. The 6-furlong allowance race for older state-bred females has a $143,000 base purse. Kaboom Baby ($451,959) trails the now-retired The Mary Rose ($539,894). ... Unbeaten Midshipman’s Dance (two for two) is pointing for the $150,000 Dixie Belle Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at six furlongs, trainer Robertino Diodoro said. In her last start, Midshipman’s Dance won the inaugural $150,000 Mockingbird Stakes Jan. 13.

For Immediate Release

Mystik Dan darted through a hole on the inside turning for home en route to an eight-length victory in the $800,000 G3-Southwest Stakes (G3) for 3-year-oldson a soggy Saturday afternoon at Oaklawn.

Mystik Dan collected 20 qualifying points toward starting eligibility for the Kentucky Derby with the victory, his second in five starts overall. Brian Hernandez Jr. rode the son of Goldencents for trainer Kenny McPeek and Arkansas breeders/owners Lance Gasaway, 4G Racing (Brent and Sharilyn Gasaway) and Daniel “Banks”Hamby III.

Just Steel finished second, a neck in front of Grade 3 winner Liberal Arts, who was making his 2024 debut. It was nine lengths farther back to fourth-place finisher Awesome Road, who was followed, in order, by Common Defense, Otto the Conqueror, 9-5 favorite Carbone, Linebacker, Charleston, Magic Grant and Grade 2 winner Wynstock. Maycocks Bay, the 3-1 program favorite, was scratched because of a fever.

Racing over a muddy, sealed surface, Mystik Dan’s winning time for 1 1/16 miles was 1:43.67. His margin of victory was the largest for the Southwest since Super Ninety Nine (a record 11 ¼ lengths) in 2013.

Just Steel and Mystik Dan finished second and fifth, respectively, in Oaklawn’s first Kentucky Derby points race, the $300,000 Smarty Jones Stakes at 1 1/16 miles Jan. 1.

Mystik Dan, after breaking from post 9 in the Southwest, was able to save ground on both turns and slipped inside a tiring Otto the Conqueror on the inside turning for home. Mystik Dan, still riding the rail, quickly collared Just Steel near the three-sixteenths pole and drew off in the final furlong.

Mystik Dan, who broke his maiden Nov. 12 at Churchill Downs, has earned $510,110.

Oaklawn’s Kentucky Derby points series continues with the $1.25 million G2-Rebel Stakes Feb. 24 and $1.5 million G1-Arkansas Derby March 30.

SOUTHWEST STAKES QUOTES

Winning jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. (Mystik Dan): “I was actually thinking about it (rail after breaking from post 9) the whole way in the post parade there. I was just trying to figure out what horse I could get behind and get to the fence. I was fortunate enough, my horse left there quick enough, but not overly quick, to where I was able to get behind the leaders and make my way over to the fence. And from there, he just traveled so well the whole way. We were able to save ground on both turns. When we got to the second turn, I called on him and he picked it up. I was able to kind of just wait for a spot. When a seam opened up barely on the inside, he shot through there and did the rest for us.”

Winning trainer Kenny McPeek (Mystik Dan): “We left it (tactics) up to Brian (jockey Brian Hernandez Jr.). You can’t predict all that. But he needed to learn how to rate. He needed to learn how to settle off horses and maintain that late punch, and we’ve been doing that in the morning every day. I think we’ll probably skip the Rebel and wait for the Arkansas Derby. He’s not what I would call a horse that … I’ve run him back quick and it’s kicked me. So, I don’t think we need to do that. We just need to be patient and wait. We’ve got plenty of time and he’s a fit horse. And if we go into the Arkansas Derby, they’re going to have run their tail off to beat us.”

Second-place jockey Ramon Vazquez (Just Steel): “I think the outside position (post 10) hurt me a little bit. I had to move a little bit from there to put him into the race. I was thinking if I had a better post, he was going to be closer.”

Third-place jockey Cristian Torres (Liberal Arts): “We had a nice trip honestly, I followed the winner the whole way around. We were hoping to make a nice run at the end. He hasn’t run in three months, but we’re happy with the way he ran today. Hopefully, he comes out of this race good. Maybe we’ll see him in the Derby.”

Second-place trainer D. Wayne Lukas (Just Steel): “I might not have had him as tight as I’d like to for today, but it’s early in the year. I don’t want to have him run his best race in February.”

Third-place trainer Robert Medina (Liberal Arts): “I thought he ran very well. He was in a good spot the whole way. He looked like he was following the winner (Mystik Dan) and then had to wait a little bit. When he swung out is when he did his best running. I liked what I saw from the eighth pole home. He finished up very strong. Galloped out very strong. As the distances increase, we’ll be right there with these horses.”

AMERICAN BEAUTY

Grade 2 winner Alva Starr justified her 1-5 favoritism with an easy front-running victory in the $150,000 American Beauty Stakes for older female sprinters Saturday at Oaklawn.

Ridden by Cristian Torres, Alva Starr coasted home by 3 ½ lengths over Royal Spa in her 4-year-old debut for trainer/co-breeder Brett Brinkman.

Alva Starr’s winning time over a muddy, sealed surface was 1:10.47. Owned by P. Dale Ladner, Alva Starr ($2.60) increased her career earnings to $420,400 following her fourth victory from seven starts.

Alva Starr, was a two-time stakes winner last year, highlighted by the $250,000 Prioress (G2) Sept. 2 at Saratoga.

Alva Starr was making her first start since finishing second, beaten a half-length, in the $350,000 Raven Run Stakes (G2) at 7 furlongs Oct. 21 at Keeneland.

AMERICAN BEAUTY QUOTES

Winning trainer Brett Brinkman: “She’s been that kind of mare. She’s given us everything we’ve asked for. Our expectations are high.”

Winning jockey Cristian Torres: “I was on cruise control. She did all the work. I was hoping for a good break. She did. I don’t know what to say, honestly. She’s a really nice horse. She’s won all over the U.S. Just very thankful for the opportunity. She handled it (muddy track) perfectly. I think it’s the first time since ran on a sloppy track and she handled it beautifully. She broke good. Settled. On the turn, she relaxed a little. When I asked her at the quarter pole, she took off again.”

MARTHA WASHINGTON

William Shively’s Band of Gold used a late burst to record an upset victory in the $250,000 Martha Washington Stakes for 3-year-old fillies Saturday at Oaklawn.

The 1 1/16-miles Martha Washington was Oaklawn’s first of three Kentucky Oaks qualifying races. Band of Gold, who was ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr., earned 20 points for the victory.

Denim and Pearls, the even-money favorite, finished second, a neck ahead of Neom Beach, who was followed, in order, by Tapit Jenallie, Promisemeanempire, Divine Gal, Saratoga Secret, In Good Taste and Hush It Honey.

Tapit Jenallie took the field through fractions of :23.67, :47.71 and 1:12.63 for 6 furlongs. Unhurried early, Band of Gold ($50.60) began moving toward the leaders turning for home. Hernandez steered Band of Gold to the outside in midstretch and she surged past three horses, including Denim and Pearls and Tapit Jenallie, in the final sixteenth of a mile.

Band of Gold’s winning time over a sloppy, sealed surface was 1:45.16. The daughter of Preservationist has won 2 of 3 starts overall and earned $206,000.

Oaklawn’s Kentucky Oaks qualifying series continues with the $400,000 Honeybee Stakes (G3) Feb. 24 and the $750,000 Fantasy Stakes (G2) March 30.

MARTHA WASHINGTON QUOTES

Winning jockey Brian Hernandez Jr.: “It’s one of those deals looking at it on paper, a lot of us were coming out of sprints, so there was going to be quite a bit of speed. We ended up being 24-1. We had the 2 hole, so our advantage was just going to be to save every inch of ground. And if she was good enough from the head of the lane home, she was going to get there. That’s what happened.”

Winning trainer Kenny McPeek: “It looked to me like in the paddock, a lot of them were more sprinter types. And she’s a big, leggy filly. Looked to me like she wants more ground. Worked out good.”

Second-place trainer Brad Cox (Denim and Pearls): “Just didn’t really go on down the last part of it, just like she did last time. Didn’t finish up quite as well as we expected. Look, she ran well. She had a target to the inside of her, but, obviously, couldn’t hold off the winner. She was second best today.”

KING COTTON

Heavily favored Skelly stretched his winning streak to seven, powering to a 3 ¼-length victory over Tejano Twist in the $150,000 King Cotton Stakes for older sprinters Saturday at Oaklawn.

Under regular rider Ricardo Santana Jr., Skelly ($3.60) blasted to the lead from post 6 and wasn’t challenged through swift splits of :21.88 for the opening quarter and :44.99 for a half-mile. Skelly wasn’t threatened through the lane and completed 6 furlongs over a sloppy, sealed surface in a meet-best 1:09.38.

Skelly is a six-time winner at Oaklawn, including the $500,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (G3) and inaugural $150,000 Lake Hamilton Stakes during the 2022-2023 meeting. Both races were also 6 furlongs.

Skelly, a 4-year-old gelded son of Practical Joke, races for Chris Hicks (Red Lane Thoroughbreds). Skelly is 8 for 12 overall with earnings of $875,163.

KING COTTON QUOTES

Winning jockey Ricardo Santana Jr.: “That’s a nice horse, man. I’ve ridden so many fast ones, but this horse is getting is getting better and better and better. How the track was, he went :44 (half-mile) and was comfortable. Turning for home, I asked him just a little bit to give me his best. He’s a tough horse.”

Winning trainer Steve Asmussen: “This horse has just run seven or seven unbelievably fast races in a row. Congratulations to Red Lane. What a wonderful horse he’s been the past year at Oaklawn.”

For Immediate Release

Pushing the right buttons has trainer Kenny McPeek closer to a career milestone after he swept 1 1/16-mile qualifying races for the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks Saturday at Oaklawn with Mystik Dan and Band of Gold, respectively.

Band of Gold, under Brian Hernandez Jr., used a late burst to capture the $250,000 Martha Washington Stakes by 2 ¾ lengths. McPeek and Hernandez then teamed to win the $800,000 G3-Southwest Stakes with Mystik Dan, whose eight-length victory was the second-largest since the race was lengthened to 1 1/16 miles in 2013. 

Mystik Dan ($24.80) represented the 1,994^th career North American victory for McPeek, according to Equibase, racing’s official data gathering organization.

“I’m getting there, yeah,” McPeek said, referring to the 2,000-win club.

Mystik Dan received a preliminary Beyer Speed Figure of 101, a career high, for his breakout performance in the Southwest, Oaklawn’s second of four Kentucky Derby qualifying races. Mystik Dan collected 20 qualifying points for the victory and ranks third on the official Kentucky Derby leaderboard compiled by Churchill Downs with 21. The Kentucky Derby is limited to 20 starters.

Oaklawn’s Kentucky Derby qualifying series continues with the $1.25 million G2-Rebel Stakes at 1 1/16 miles Feb. 24 and nine-furlong $1.5 million G1 Arkansas Derby March 30. 

McPeek said Sunday morning that Mystik Dan exited his victory in good order and should resurface in the Arkansas Derby.

The Southwest and Martha Washington were originally scheduled to be run Jan. 27, but were postponed a week after winter weather disrupted racing and training last month at Oaklawn.

Mystik Dan, in his 3-year-old and two-turn debut, had finished fifth in Oaklawn’s first Kentucky Derby points race, the $300,000 Smarty Jones Stakes Jan. 1. 

Deciding to give Mystik Dan another chance around two turns in the Southwest, McPeek shipped the colt to Fair Grounds because of impending arctic conditions at Oaklawn that, ultimately, closed the track 11 days for training (Jan. 13-23).

Mystik Dan breezed twice at Fair Grounds – Jan. 20 and Jan. 27 – and, upon his return to Oaklawn, overwhelmed 10 Southwest opponents under a ground-saving ride from Hernandez.

“We had a good feeling before the race,” said Lance Gasaway, among four Arkansans who bred and own Mystik Dan. “He wasn’t ready for the long race, the Smarty Jones. He needed the race, so we felt pretty confident coming into the race. He (McPeek) can do it.”

Mystik Dan is by two-time Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner Goldencents and the first foal to reach the races out of the McPeek-trained Ma’am, a daughter of Colonel John who Gasaway and Daniel Hamby III bred and raced in partnership. Hamby and 4 G Racing (Brent and Sharilyn Gasaway) are also partners in Mystik Dan. Lance and Brent Gasaway are cousins.

Ma’am broke her maiden at the 2016 Oaklawn meeting and won three more times before beginning a broodmare career.

“The cool thing about this horse (Mystik Dan) 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.”

Mystik Dan, in his second career start, broke his maiden by 7 3/4 front-running lengths at 5 ½ furlongs Nov. 12 at Churchill Downs. Wheeled back 13 days later in an entry-level allowance at Churchill Downs, Mystik Dan faded to fifth in the one-mile race. He was beaten 3 ¼ lengths in the Smarty Jones.

Mystik Dan has won 2 of 5 starts overall and earned $510,110.

A little more than an hour before the Southwest, McPeek struck in the Martha Washington with William Shively’s Band of Gold ($50.60), who was exiting a fifth-place finish in the $100,000 Untapable Stakes at 1 mile and 70 yards Dec. 23 at Fair Grounds.

McPeek said he decided to run Band of Gold in the Martha Washington after an allowance race at Oaklawn didn’t fill and stablemate Ice Cold suffered a career-ending leg injury last month. Ice Cold won the $200,000 Year’s End Stakes at 1 mile Dec. 31 at Oaklawn.

“We really felt like going into the race, we were going to have the favorite with her,” McPeek said, referring to the Martha Washington. “I shipped Band of Gold up here to run in an allowance race and it didn’t go. We were sitting here with a filly ready to run and then Ice Cold opted out. I said, ‘It only makes sense if you’ve got another good one sitting there, so let’s go.’ We’ve got a deep bench.”

Band of Gold earned 20 points for her Martha Washington victory and has 21 overall to rank fourth on the official Kentucky Oaks leaderboard compiled by Churchill Downs. She generated a preliminary Beyer Speed Figure of 86, a career high, for winning the Martha Washington, her second victory in three starts.

Oaklawn’s Kentucky Oaks qualifying series continues with the $400,000 Honeybee Stakes (G3) Feb. 24 and $750,000 Fantasy Stakes (G2) March 30. Both races are 1 1/16 miles.

“We’ve got that same race coming back in three weeks,” McPeek said. “She may very well go in the Honeybee.”

A daughter of millionaire Grade 1 winner Preservationist, Band of Gold has earned $206,000. 

Just Steel to Rebel

Just Steel remains on the Arkansas Derby trail and will be pointed to the Feb. 24 $1.25 million G2-Rebel Stakes, Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas said Sunday morning.

Just Steel finished second in the $800,000 G3-Southwest Stakes Saturday , beaten eight lengths by Mystik Dan, after holding a narrow advantage in the upper stretch. Like the Southwest, Oaklawn’s second Kentucky Derby points race, the Rebel is 8 ½-furlongs.

“He’s still carrying a little weight,” Lukas said. “He’s a big, powerful horse and I think with racing, he’ll drop some of that weight and he’ll be a little bit better at finishing. I look forward to the next one (Rebel). That one should be starting to get us where we want to be. I think he needs racing.”

Just Steel also finished second in Oaklawn’s first Kentucky Derby points race, the $300,000 Smarty Jones Stakes. Oaklawn’s four-race Kentucky Derby qualifying series culminates with the $1.5 million G1-Arkansas Derby at 1 1/8 miles March 30.

Just Steel (15 points) ranks ninth on the official Kentucky Derby leaderboard compiled by Churchill Downs.

Liberal Arts Targets Arkansas Derby

Grade 3 winner Liberal Arts was to depart Sunday for his central Kentucky base, The Thoroughbred Center, but is likely to return to Oaklawn for the $1.5 million G1-Arkansas Derby March 30, trainer Robert Medina said Sunday morning.

In his 3-year-old debut, finished third in the Saturday’s $800,000 G3-Southwest Stakes. Liberal Arts finished a neck behind runner-up Just Steel, but nine lengths ahead of fourth-place finisher Awesome Road. Mystik Dan won the Southwest by eight lengths.

Medina ruled out a start in the $1.25 million G2-Rebel Stakes Feb. 24 – Oaklawn’s third Kentucky Derby points race – and said his initial thought is training Liberal Arts up to the Arkansas Derby. There is only a 21-day turnaround to the Rebel after the Southwest was postponed one week because of winter weather.

“He’s not going to run in the Rebel because I really want to run him a mile and an eighth in his next start, so I would say he’s just going to wait for the last one (Arkansas Derby),” Medina said. “Today, that would be my guess.”

From the final crop of deceased champion Arrogate, Liberal Arts completed a five-race 2023 campaign with a 2 ¾-length victory in the $200,000 G3-Street Sense Stakes Oct. 29 at Churchill Downs. Medina began targeting the Southwest roughly a week after the Street Sense, which was Liberal Arts’ first start around two turns.

“I thought he ran very well,” Medina said. “You always go into those races looking to win, but I wanted to see him do something that he didn’t do as a 2-year-old. And what I saw was his best running, probably, was the last three-sixteenths to eighth of a mile home. He was finishing very well. The winner was blazing a trail, but he (Liberal Arts) ran well. And once he hit the wire, I just kind of kept my eye on him and he kept going around there, around the turn, which is encouraging. 

“I’ve always been of the thought that a lot of these horses, watching this all my life, is that mile and sixteenth to a mile and an eighth is a big jump for a lot of horses. It’s not going to be for him.”

Medina said Liberal Arts would return for the Arkansas Derby “right on top of the race,” just as he did for the Southwest. Medina’s stable is split this winter between Oaklawn and The Thoroughbred Center.

Liberal Arts (19 points) ranks seventh on the official Kentucky Derby leaderboard compiled by Churchill Downs.