Mystik Dan took the lead into the homestretch and barely held off the late rallies of Sierra Leone and Forever Young for a nose victory Saturday in Kentucky Derby 150 at Churchill Downs.
Taking a rail trip a day after he did the same thing to win the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks with Thorpedo Anna, Brian Hernandez Jr. became the first jockey in 15 years to win both races. Kenny McPeek was the first trainer to pull off the Oaks-Derby double since 1952.
Coming off a third-place finish in the Arkansas Derby (G1), Mystik Dan (17-1) got out a step slow from post 3. Hernandez still got the 3-year-old Goldencents colt into stride quickly and positioned him in fourth place through the first turn and up the backstretch.
Making the second turn, Hernandez asked for more and got it when Mystik Dan opened a lead of about two lengths in mid-stretch. By then Sierra Leone (9-2) made his trademark, deep-closing move, and Japan-based Forever Young (6-1) raced between them.
In the end there was just a nose between each of the three horses with Sierra Leone second and Forever Young third. Catching Freedom (8-1) was another 1 3/4 lengths behind in fourth. T O Password (46-1), who took the Japan road to the Derby, came in fifth.
Post-time favorite Fierceness (7-2) finished 15th in the field of 20.
The winning time 2:03.34 covering the 1 1/4 miles on the fast track. The early fractions were 22.97, 46.63, 1:11.31 and 1:37.46. Mystik Dan paid $39.22, $16.32 and $10.00; Sierra Leone $6.54 and $4.64; and Forever Young $5.58.
The race was run under a cloudy sky that produced rain until Saturday morning, but the main track was upgraded to fast during the 79-degree afternoon.
This story will be updated by reports from Ed DeRosa and Ron Flatter at Churchill Downs.
