BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Florida-bred Mystic Lake appears ready for a big effort at Delaware Park Saturday in the $200,000 Endine Stakes for fillies and mares racing six furlongs.
The multiple graded stakes-winning millionaire is making her second start after a three-month break from May to August 28, returning with a solid third in the $300,000 Misty Bennett Pink Ribbon at Charles Town; and is one-for-one at the distance over the main track at Delaware Park. She dominated last year’s $113,000 Dashing Beauty there, winning by nearly six lengths.
Should Mystic Lake win the out-of-state stakes, she would earn a $4,000 Export Incentive paid by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association to breeder Peggy Constanzo of Englewood, Florida.
Trained by Saffie Joseph Jr. has shipped Mystic Lake to six different tracks in seven starts in 2026, beginning the year with two races at Tampa Bay Downs. She trounced her rivals in the $120,000 Minaret, winning by seven-and-a-half lengths going six furlongs on February 7; then cruised when taking the $70,000 Manatee overnight handicap by four-and-a-quarter lengths on March 7.
Mystic Lake was next off the board in the Grade 1 Madison at Keeneland on April 4 but came back with a second to stablemate Grammy Girl in the six-and-a-half-furlong Vagrancy (G3) on May 3 during the Belmont at Big A meet at Aqueduct. She will face Grammy Girl again in the Endine.
In her last race before the layoff, Mystic Lake was third, failing to defend her title in the $100,000 Memorial Day Sprint for fillies and mares sprinting six furlongs at Lone Star Park on May 25.
The 5-year-old Mystic Lake, who was honored as the 2024 Florida-bred Horse of the Year by the FTBOA, is owned by Miller Racing, BAG Racing and Robert H. Zoellner. She has won 13 of 27 career starts with four seconds and four thirds, sporting $1,664,102 in earnings—ranking just below Pistols and Roses and ahead of Smile at no. 66 on the list of all-time leading Florida-bred money earners.
Mystic Lake is by Mo Town out of Salty Soul, by Itsmyluckyday and was a $130,000 purchase by Turf Express Racing Partners at the 2023 Ocala Breeders’ Sales March Sale where she was consigned by Tom McCrocklin. She is a two-time graduate of OBS having first sold for $3,500 out of the Summerfield consignment of Francis and Barbara Vanlangendonck at the 2022 October Yearling Sale where McCrocklin bought her.
Paco Lopez will get a leg up on Mystic Lake, who has post five in the field of 13.
She is 8-1 on the morning line among the highly competitive group.
Maida is the program favorite at 4-1 after finishing out of the money her last start at Saratoga Race Course in the Grade 1 Ballerina. She has two wins in two other starts this year, including a length-and-a-quarter score in the six-furlong Honorable Miss at Saratoga and the 10 ½-length romp in the $125,000 Alma North going six-and-a-half panels at Laurel Park on June 27.
Brittany Russell trains the 4-year-old daughter of Improbable and her husband, Sheldon Russell, will ride from post 11.
Grammy Girl has the outside post 13 and is 6-1 in the program after finishing ninth in the Ballerina in her last race. She was second in the Alma North after winning the Vagrancy.
Vincent Cheminaud has the call on Grammy Girl.
Rounding out the field are Cash Call with Jaime Rodriguez in the irons, Hold Your Breath has jockey Abner Adorno, Citana (Arg) will have Julio Hernandez aboard, Raul Mena teams with For the Ladies, no rider has been named for Carmelina, Cipriano Gil will guide Ultimate Authority, Kappa Kappa does have a jockey named, Jose Batista has the assignment on Benedetta and Martin Chuan will take the reins on Chatelot.
Return to the October 16 issue of Wire to Wire
