Stakes Advance - Lake Ouachita & Arkansas Breeders’ Championship
By Robert Yates
$200,000 Lake Ouachita Stakes
A year ago, Mystik Dan was the man on the first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs.
Now, Mystik Dan tries to become the man again, this time on the first Saturday in May at Oaklawn when he seeks his first victory since the 2024 Kentucky Derby in the $200,000 Lake Ouachita Stakes for older horses at 1 1/16 miles.
The Lake Ouachita and $200,000 Arkansas Breeders’ Championship Stakes headline Oaklawn’s closing-day 12-race program. Probable post time for the Lake Ouachita, the 11th race, is 6:15 p.m. (Central). Racing begins at noon. Weather permitting, the infield will be open.
The eight-horse Lake Ouachita lineup from the rail out:
- Saudi Crown, Abel Cedillo,119, 8-5;
- Seize the Night, Tyler Bacon, 121, 20-1;
- Magic Tap, Erik Asmussen, 119, 20-1;
- Awesome Aaron, Rafael Bejarano, 121, 2-1;
- Dimatic, Keith Asmussen, 119, 15-1
- Frankie’s Empire, Emmanuel Esquivel, 119, 20-1
- Emmanuel, Ramon Vazquez, 119, 8-1;
- Mystik Dan, Francisco Arrieta, 119, 5-2.
“I’m excited to get him back going down there,” said Kenny McPeek, who trains Mystik Dan. “Looks like a good spot. Saudi Crown’s a tough horse, but he’s doing super. We want to get him back in the winner’s circle. Certainly, want to see him run well.”
Mystik Dan has lost four consecutive starts since his nose victory in the 1 ¼-mile Kentucky Derby, the first leg of the Triple Crown, last May at Churchill Downs.
After running second in the Preakness, Mystik Dan struggled in his final two starts at 3, finishing eighth in the Belmont Stakes June 8 at Saratoga and sixth in the $300,000 Malibu Stakes (G1) at seven furlongs Dec. 26 at Santa Anita. Mystik Dan hasn’t started since finishing ninth in the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) at 1 1/8 miles Jan. 25 at Gulfstream Park. It was his first start against older horses.
Mystik Dan resurfaces in a listed stake for the first time since finishing fifth in the $300,000 Smarty Jones Stakes – Oaklawn’s first Kentucky Derby qualifying race – Jan. 1, 2024.
“We’re just trying to stepladder him, get him back up,” McPeek said. “Like I said, it’s not an easy race by any means. He’s got to start beating older horses, which, I think, is very well within him.”
After a 30-day break following the Pegasus, Mystik Dan returned to the work tab March 31 at Oaklawn and recorded four subsequent local breezes in advance of his comeback.
“We jumped him out of the gate (Wednesday) morning, just to refreshen him a little bit and get him used to leaving there again,” McPeek said. “This is something we did when he won the Derby, so he doesn’t leave there a step slow or anything.”
Mystik Dan will be ridden for the first time by Arrieta because the colt’s regular rider, Brian Hernandez Jr., has commitments Saturday at Churchill Downs. McPeek trains Mystik Dan for his breeders, Lance Gasaway, 4 G Racing (Brent and Sharilyn Gasaway) and Daniel “Banks” Hamby, and Valley View Farm (Scott Hamby).
Mystik Dan raced twice at Oaklawn following the Smarty Jones, winning the $800,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) by eight lengths and finishing third in the $1.5 million Arkansas Derby (G1) at 1 1/8 miles. The Southwest was 1 1/16 miles. Mystik Dan has bankrolled $4,211,860 after winning 3 of 11 starts.
Program favorite Saudi Crown exits a runner-up finish, beaten a length by Banishing, in the $500,000 Oaklawn Mile (G3) March 29 for trainer Brad Cox.
Saudi Crown’s resume includes a victory in the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby (G1) at 1 1/8 miles in 2023 at Parx and a third-place finish, beaten three-quarters of a length, in the $20 million Saudi Cup (G1) last year in Saudi Arabia. The Saudi Cup is the world’s richest race. Saudi Crown has earned $3,310,385.
Awesome Aaron exits a 5 3/4-length allowance victory at 1 1/16 miles April 12 at Oaklawn for trainer Norm Casse. Magic Tap adds blinkers for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen.
McPeek won last year’s Lake Ouachita with Frosted Departure.
$200,00 Arkansas Breeders’ Championship
Race veteran Man in the Can is the 8-5 program favorite for the 1 1/16-mile Arkansas Breeders’ Championship, annually the richest event for state-breds at Oaklawn. It is the ninth race, with probable post time 4:58 p.m. (Central).
Man in the Can won the Arkansas Breeders’ Championship in 2020 for trainer Ron Moquett of Hot Springs and breeder/owner JRita Young Thoroughbreds (Everett and Rita Young). The Youngs now campaign Man in the Can with nationally prominent owner Robert LaPenta.
Man in the Can has made just two starts at the 2024-2025 Oaklawn meeting, finishing sixth behind razor-sharp Navy Seal in a state-bred starter sprint Dec. 15, then demolishing his rivals in a state-bred starter allowance at 1 1/16 miles March 9. Racing over a muddy track, Man in the Can drew off in the stretch to win by 6 ½ lengths in maybe the most impressive performance of his 35-race career.
“First off, I think he’s frustrated that he never gets to run in a race of what he wants,” Moquett said. “I have to run him six furlongs every year for the first time at Oaklawn. You’ve got to run six furlongs. Then, you’ve usually got to run against open company. So, whenever he got to run at a mile and a sixteenth against Arkansas-breds, he was like: ‘Finally, I’ll show out.’ He ran a 91 Beyer Speed Figure and that tied for his highest Beyer Speed Figure ever, as an 8-year-old.”
Rafael Bejarano retains the mount on Man in the Can, who drew the rail in the projected 13-horse field. Man in the Can will be making his sixth consecutive appearance in the Arkansas Breeders’ Championship. He also finished second in 2021, third in 2022, sixth in 2023 and third last year.
Lochmoor, the early 5-2 second choice, will making his first start around two turns since a 2 ¼-length victory in the 2024 Arkansas Breeders’ Championship for trainer Bruce Riecken. Lochmoor has had four starts this season at Oaklawn (all at six furlongs), with two in open company. He finished third behind Navy Seal in the $150,000 Nodouble Breeders’ Stakes for state-breds March 2 and, in his last start, was third against open company in an April 13 allowance race.
“He’s doing good,” said Bruce Riecken, who trains Lochmoor. “He’s training well and sprinted really well the last time. He’s eating good. I look for a good race.”
