BY BROCK SHERIDAN

Florida-bred millionaire Mystic Lake had a fight on her hands with My Magic Wand for the first four furlongs but eventually got clear at the top of the lane to win the $62,500 Manatee overnight handicap at Tampa Bay Downs Saturday. Now undefeated in four career starts at Tampa Bay including a seven-and-a-half-length romp in the $120,00 Minaret on February 7, Mystic Lake went off as the 1-5 favorite against six other fillies and mares, 4-years-old and older going seven furlongs.

Mystic Lake broke from post five with Flavien Prat aboard and raced third between My Magic Wand on the outside and Flowers for Me on the rail. After a quick quarter-mile split in :21.90, Flowers for Me surrendered while My Magic Wand stayed even with Mystic Lake around the turn through a taxing half mile in :43.68. Mystic Lake proved too much as she spurted clear while passing the three-sixteenth pole then galloped home to win by four-and-a-quarter lengths in 1:22.17 on the fast track. My Magic Wand kept second while St. Olaf Rose was three-quarters of a length farther back in third. 

Mystic Lake paid $2.40 to win.

The 5-year-old daughter of Mo Town has won six of her last seven including going five-for-eight last year. She started 2025 with a victory in the Grade 2 Inside Information presented by MyRacehorse at Gulfstream Park in January then after losses in the Grade 1 Resolute Racing Madison at Keeneland and in the Grade 1 Derby City Distaff presented by Kendall-Jackson Winery at Churchill Downs won four consecutive races. She took in the $100,000 Memorial Day Sprint at Lone Star Park in May, the $113,000 Dashing Beauty at Delaware Park in July, the $250,000 Misty Bennett Pink Ribbon at Charles Town in August and the $150,000 Liberty Bell at Parx Racing in September.

She is trained by Saffie Joseph Jr. and owned by Miller Racing, BAG Racing Stables and Stefania Farms and has now won 13 of 23 career starts with earnings of $1,582,017. She is out of the Itsmyluckyday mare Salty Soul and was bred in Florida by Peggy Costanzo.

A two-time graduate of Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company, Mystic Lake was a $130,000 purchase by Turf Express Racing Partners at the 2023 March Sale of 2-year-olds in training where she was consigned by Tom McCrocklin. Summerfield consigned her as a yearling at the 2022 OBS October Yearling Sale where McCrocklin selected her for $3,500.

Return to the March 7 issue of Wire to Wire