BY BROCK SHERIDAN

Florida-bred Mystic Lake produced a convincing victory in the $250,000 Misty Bennett Pink Ribbon Stakes at Charles Town Races Friday night, winning her third consecutive stakes victory in front-running fashion. The 4-year-old filly trained by Saffie Joseph Jr. waisted no time from post four as jockey Tyler Gaffalione had her a length in front of Chicago Stakes (G2)-winner and 1-2 favorite Vahva in second with 9-1 choice Free Like a Girl a close up third while passing the grandstand for the first time.

Gaffalione allowed Mystic Lake to keep the length advantage on Vahva through comfortable fractions of :24.46 and :48.93 before galloping away to a five-length lead turning for home after six furlongs in 1:12.93. Mystic Lake geared down under the wire to finish seven furlongs in 1:25.73 on the fast track with Vahva finishing three lengths back in second. Save Time was third with Free Like a Girl fourth.

“I thought Tyler [Gaffalione] was masterful,” Joseph said. “He stayed in the middle because he didn’t want Irad [Ortiz Jr. on Vahva] to get out of there and I thought that was the winning move. Before the race I thought they might go to fast but once they got the first quarter I felt good and then when I saw the half [mile time] I felt really good.”

Mystic Lake paid $4.60 to win.

 

Owned by C2 Racing Stable LLC, Stefania Farms LLC and BAG Racing Stables LLC, the 2024 Florida-bred Horse of the Year previously won the $100,000 Memorial Day Sprint in the slop at Lone Star Park on May 26 and the $113,000 Dashing Beauty by nearly six lengths at Delaware park on July 17, both at six furlongs. She has won three of five starts this year including the seven-furlong Inside Information (Grade 2) at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 25. She earned $162,500 to increase her career bankroll to $1,359,042.

This was her second victory in as many starts at Charles Town having won the Charles Town Oaks (G2) among her five stakes victories last year.

Joseph had Mystic Lake crossed entered in the $500,000 Resorts World Casino Ballerina (Grade 1) at Saratoga on Saturday, but elected to run her in the Pink Ribbon.

“She ran here so well last year and she ran in Grade 1s twice and she didn’t get it done. I thought in the first one at Keeneland [when fourth in the Resolute Racing Madison on April 8] we missed an opportunity. Then at Churchill [when ninth in the Derby City Distaff on May 13] it was too tough and she didn’t fire in the slop.

“We didn’t know Vahva was coming and then we were kind of committed and that’s why we entered at Saratoga. Then we drew the one [post in the Ballerina] and we decided to stick with our plan [to run in the Pink Ribbon]. So credit to the owners for sticking with the plan because it worked out thank God.”

Bred in Florida by Peggy Costanzo, Mystic Lake is the only foal out of the Itsmyluckday mare Salty Soul. She is a two-time graduate of Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company, selling first during the October Yearling Sale to Tom McCrocklin as agent for $3,500 out of Francis and Barbara Vanlangendonck’s Summerfield consignment. McCrocklin as an agent then sold her for $130,000 the next year in the OBS March Sale where Turf Express Racing Partners signed the sales ticket.

She has 10 wins, nine in stakes including three graded stakes wins, in 19 starts with three seconds and one third.

Mystic Lake is the 53 Florida-bred winner of an open stakes in 2025.

Return to the August 23 issue of Wire to Wire