There’s just something about the Churchill Downs Grounds that seems to bring out the best in Mystik Dan. The 2024 Kentucky Derby winner’s last graded win was in May, when the star colt won the Blame Stakes (Grade 3), coincidentally also held at the CDI. Going into the Lukas Classics Stakes (Grade 2), the 4-year-old was the 3-2 favorite. But even without his regular rider, Brian Hernandez Jr., the Kenny McPeek-trained horse didn’t look one bit out of his element at the Twin Spires on Saturday night.

An X post by FadDual Racing from September 27 to share Mystik Dan’s latest feat. “The 2024 Kentucky Derby winner #5 MYSTIK DAN ($5.14) was unbelievable in the $500,000 Lukas Classic,” the social media update announces with a thunderous boom, as the accompanying video shows how the horse, despite being the fifth runner off the turn, shot up the rail and chased down Steven Asmussen’s Disarm to win the 12th running of the G3 race.

At the Lukas Classic, Willy D’s shot right off the gate and picked an early lead, while Prince of Power and Banishing stayed close on the pack-leader’s neck in second and third places, respectively. Mystik Dan kept on their heels and held his position ahead of Disarm going into the first turn. The Derby-winning horse had to wait late into Saturday’s race before room opened up ahead of him to push for a final run.

Disarm had made use of a four-wide rally near the three-sixteenths pole to gain the lead, while Mystik Dan was still behind a wall of horses leaving the far turn. However, an opening between Prince of Power and Banishing was spotted by Arrieta, who guided McPeek’s poster boy to his natural position inside the rail to chase down Disarm and ultimately win the race by 3/4 lengths.

So, what makes Mystik Dan’s win tonight so special? Well, for starters, the horse showed up in Churchill Downs without his Derby-winning partner, Brian Hernandez Jr. On September 21, at this very racecourse, the jockey suffered a horrific injury after being thrown off the back of Sgt. Garcia, also trained by Kenny McPeek, during a claiming race. The horse injured his leg at the 5/16th pole and had to be put down later. Hernandez Jr. suffered seven broken ribs, a punctured lung, and a liver laceration and was given immediate medical care.

The jockey was scheduled for further surgeries two days later, and the doctors initially advised him to stay away from riding for six to eight weeks. Naturally, fans and experts started speculating about Mystik Dan’s future, given how Brian has ridden the horse to the winner’s circle on numerous occasions. But, true to his repertoire, the horse proved with gusto that his success isn’t restricted by the wisdom or wits of his rider.

After winning on Saturday, Arrieta also nodded his hat to his celebrity comrade, saying, “First and foremost, I want to send my well wishes to Brian (Hernandez Jr.).” After wishing Mystik Dan’s regular jockey, Arrieta then lauded the horse for his incredible performance. “This horse just exudes class. He acts like an old professional…This race was a great prep to likely the Breeders’ Cup (Dirt) Mile. I’m sure we’ll entertain both that and the Classic in the coming days with the owners. We’re just going to enjoy this one and get him ready for the Breeders’ Cup,” the 2025 Lukas Classic winner said.

So, how does the road ahead look?

Mystik Dan will have to get back to the drawing room ASAP

All paths from here onward will lead to the Breeders’ Cup, a tournament that celebrity trainer Bob Baffert calls the “All-Star game of horse racing.” With a big win at CDI, Mytsik Dan and Kenny McPeek will obviously feel confident going into Del Mar for the two November races. On the 1st of that month, Mystik Dan is slated to race in both the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile and the Breeders’ Cup Classic. At both these races, Team McPeek will face some serious competition and will need to pull their socks up.

From Sovereignty (the 2025 Derby and Belmont Stakes winner), Journalism (this year’s Preakness Stakes and Haskell Stakes winner), and multiple horses trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher in the Classic to Bob Baffert’s Nysos and Goal Oriented in the Dirt Mile, there is a long line of A-listers waiting to take on Mystik Dan and make his Lukas Classic triumph only a distant memory. Furthermore, Baffert’s incredible Grade 1 stats would make him and his horses at the Cup the favorites to win both races.

If these names weren’t enough, Mystik Dan will once again meet Sierra Leone at Del Mar, the very same horse who edged the former out to win the Derby last year. Will their next meeting see McPeek’s horse redeem himself? What do you think?