Corridor of Fame coach Bob Baffert has typically captured the Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park, profitable the race six occasions since 2010, however this 12 months’s Kentucky Derby Introduced by Woodford Reserve prep on Feb. 3 belonged to coach Kenny McPeek – in addition to the supporting Martha Washington Stakes for 3-year-old fillies on the cardboard.

Teaming with main rider Brian Hernandez Jr., McPeek struck with Mystik Dan within the $800,000, Grade 3 Southwest and Band of Gold within the $250,000 Martha Washington. The duo earned 20 qualifying factors apiece – 3-year-old colt Mystik Dan towards the Might 4 Derby and Band of Gold towards the Might 3 Longines Kentucky Oaks for 3-year-olds.

The coach has gained a Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes however by no means the Kentucky Derby or the Kentucky Oaks. He has come shut, operating second within the 1995 Derby with Tejano Run, and has thrice skilled the Kentucky Oaks runner-up: Take Cost Girl (2002), Daddys Lil Darling  (2017) and subsequent Preakness Stakes winner Swiss Skydiver (2020).

McPeek could have contenders if Mystik Dan and Band of Gold carry out at Churchill Downs in a number of months as they did over a sloppy monitor Saturday at Oaklawn, although because the coach acknowledged Saturday, these races are a great distance off.

McPeek and his homeowners had a lot to have fun on a wet day at Oaklawn Park Saturday, capped by the efficiency of Mystik Dan. Patiently dealt with by Hernandez to take a seat sixth early, the colt moved up on the second flip to be fourth, then unleashed an explosive inside transfer within the stretch to depart Simply Metal eight lengths behind him on the end. He zipped 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.67.

Simply Metal lasted for second by a neck over present finisher Liberal Arts. There was a nine-length hole to Superior Highway in fourth, who was a nostril forward of one other McPeek trainee, Frequent Protection, in fifth.

Favored Carbone, skilled by Steve Asmussen, ran seventh and Baffert’s runner, Wynstock, was final of 12.

The second-through-fifth runners earned Derby qualifying factors on a 10-6-4-2 scale.

Discounted by the betting public following two latest losses, certainly one of which was a fifth within the Jan. 1 Smarty Jones Stakes at Oaklawn, Mystik Dan gained the Southwest at 11.40-1 odds. It’s his second profession victory for homeowners Lance Gasaway, 4 G Racing, and Daniel Hamby III following a Nov. 12 maiden win sprinting 5 ½ furlongs at Churchill.