BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Mystic Lake and Dorth Vader, the Florida-bred Champion 3-Year-Old Fillies of 2024 and 2023 respectively, will carry the Florida colors into Churchill Downs Saturday in the $1 million Derby City Distaff presented by Kendall-Jackson Winery (Grade 1). A field of 14 fillies and mares, 4-years-old and older, plus two on the also-eligible list, are entered for the seven furlong contest that appears as the tenth race on the under card of the 151st running of the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1).
Mystic Lake, also honored as last year’s Florida-bred Champion Female Sprinter, makes her second appearance against many of the same Grade 1 fillies and mares she faced in her last race when fourth in the Resolute Racing Madison at Keeneland on April 8.
Mystic Lake went head and head with even-money favorite Emery through the first six furlongs of the seven-furlong Madison before eventual winner Positano Sunset rallied past the two early combatants to win by a length.
Positano Sunset, Emery and third-place finisher My Mane Squeeze all return for the Derby City Distaff.
Mystic Lake was undefeated in two other stakes over the winter at Gulfstream Park having won the Listed Sugar Swirl going six furlongs in December and the Grade 2 Inside Information at seven furlongs on Jan. 25.
Seven panels appears to be in the wheelhouse for Mystic Lake as she has won six of 10 career starts with a second at the distance including last year’s Grade 2 Charles Town Oaks and $100,000 Stonehedge Farm South Sophomore Fillies on Florida Cup Day at Tampa Bay Downs.
Mystic Lake is trained by Saffie Joseph Jr. and owned by C2 Racing Stable LLC and Stefania Farms LLC, who are among the connections that will have Florida-bred Neoequos in the Kentucky Derby later in the day.
Bred in Florida by Peggy Costanzo, Mystic Lake is by Mo Town out of Salty Soul, by Itsmyluckyday. She has seven wins, three seconds and a third from 15 career starts with earnings of $1,058,042.
Mystic Lake twice passed through the auction ring at Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company, first when purchased by Tom McCrocklin as an agent for the bargain price of $3,500 out of the Summerfield consignment at the 2022 October Yearling Sale. McCrocklin as an agent then sold her to Turf Express Partners for $130,000 at the OBS March Sale in 2023.
(Mystic Lake’s Under Tack Video)
Edgard Zayas will ride Mystic Lake from post six and they are listed at 8-1 on the morning line.
Dorth Vader, who is also entered in Friday’s $1 million Fasig-Tipton La Troienne (G1) at Churchill, may also face a familiar foe in Grand Job should trainer George Weaver choose the Derby City Distaff.
A homebred for John Ropes, Dorth Vader was most recently second to Grand Job in a second condition, $62,500 optional claiming going a one-turf mile at Gulfstream Park on March 28. That was her first race since May 3 of last year when she was fourth in Idiomatic’s La Troienne at Churchill.
Dorth Vader is by former Ocala Stud stallion Girvin out of Hardcore Candy, by Yonaguska and has won four with two seconds and a third in 13 career starts for earnings of $574,118. Her career resume includes a victory in the Grade 2 Davona Dale (G2) at Gulfstream Park and a second in the Grade 1 Acorn at Belmont Park in 2023.
She has four wins, two seconds and a third in 13 races while producing $574,118 in earnings.
Dorth Vader has John Velazquez named to ride from post 10 and she is 30-1 on the morning line.
The 3-1 morning line favorite is Ways and Means, who makes her first start of the year Saturday and first since finishing fifth in the Grade 1 PNC Bank Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Del Mar on Nov. 2.
Trained by Chad Brown for Klaravich Stables Inc., Ways and Means won last year’s Grade 1 Test over a muddy seven furlongs at Saratoga in August and the Grade 2 Gallant Bloom going six-and-a-half furlongs.
Ways and Means, a graduate of the early training program at de Meric Stables and Sales in Ocala, is by Practical Joke out of Strong Encentive, by Warrior’s Reward, by Warrior’s Reward and has won half of her eight career starts with two seconds while earning $737,000.
She will be ridden by Flavien Prat from post eight.
Rounding out the field are Scylla with Joel Rosario riding, Kopion with jockey Kazushi Kimura, Jose Ortiz will be aboard Benedetta, Awesome Treat has Luan Machado taking the call, Micah Husbands will guide Haulin Ice, Vahva will have Irad Ortiz Jr. in the irons, Emery will be ridden by Manny Franco, Julien Leparoux takes the assignment on Positano Sunset, Hope Road and jockey Juan Hernandez, My Mane Squeeze with Luis Saez in the saddle and Taxed will have Cristian Torres up.
Grand Job and Miss Susan B are on the also-eligible list.
Return to the May 1 issue of Wire to Wire
