"When Mystik Dan is right, he's such a fun horse to ride because he makes my job so easy," said Brian Hernandez, Jr. after the 2024 Kentucky Derby (G1) winner posted an impressive win in the Gr. III Blame Stakes at Churchill Downs. The panel of racing experts voted Hernandez, Jr. Jockey of the week for May 27 through June 1.
The weekly honor recognizes jockeys for significant riding accomplishments and who are members of the Jockeys' Guild, the organization which represents more than 1050 active, retired and permanently disabled jockeys in the United States.
Returning to the track of his greatest victory, Mystik Dan with his regular rider, Brian (BJ) Hernandez, Jr. in the irons, took on six rivals in Saturday's feature race, the Gr. III Blame Stakes on Stephen Foster Preview Day.
Off as the third betting choice at odds of 3-1, Mystik Dan raced in fourth on the inside rail where he stayed through most of the mile and one-eighth contest. At the 5/16 pole, the leader, Alexander Helios with Irad Ortiz, Jr. aboard, tired and Mystik Dan came off the rail temporarily to steer around him before returning to the inside. Reminiscent of his run in the 150th Kentucky Derby, Mystik Dan cut the corner as the field fanned out and when asked, went on for home to win by 1-1/4 lengths in the stakes record time of 1:48.45.
"Just like in the Derby, today he sits in a nice pocket and lets you read the race," said Hernandez to Churchill Downs publicity. "When you call on him, you know he is going to jump forward and that's what he did today. We got that spot turning for home and he showed why he won the Kentucky Derby in the past."
Trainer Kenny McPeek was quick to praise Mystik Dan's connections in remarks to Churchill Downs publicity. "It's continued to be a team effort. We got him back to his old self. I'm just so proud of him and the job Brian did with him."
This week Hernandez will continue to ride at his home track of Churchill Downs including Sunday's card featuring the Gr. III Matt Winn for three-year-olds and the mount on the Ian Wilkes-trained Burnham Square who finished a troubled sixth in the Kentucky Derby. The field also includes Kentucky Derby alumni Final Gambit, East Avenue, Chunk of Gold and Coal Battle.
Other contenders for Jockey of the Week include Paco Lopez who won six races on Monmouth's Sunday card including a stakes race, Jose L. Ortiz who guided Durante to a 33-1 longshot win in the Gr. III Aristides, Jaime Rodriguez who won the most races for the week with 10 and Edgard Zayas who won a stakes at Gulfstream and with all of his five mounts on Sunday.
