2025.09.30 Oaklawn Racing Updates

Racing Updates
Compiled by Robert Yates

Tuesday, September 30, 2025

Returning to the scene of his greatest triumph, 3-2 favorite Mystik Dan overcame traffic in the stretch to win the $500,000 G2-Lukas Classic Saturday at Churchill Downs.

Mystik Dan won the Lukas Classic, a 1 1/8-mile event for 3-year-olds and up, by three-quarters of a length to lead an Oaklawn-raced superfecta. Mystik Dan is a five-time career winner, with four of those victories, including the 2024 Kentucky Derby, coming at Churchill Downs. Mystik Dan also won the $800,000 G3-Southwest Stakes in 2024 at Oaklawn.

Oaklawn allowance winner Disarm finished second in the Lukas Classic, 3 ¾ lengths ahead of multiple Oaklawn stakes winner Banishing. Oaklawn allowance winner Hit Show finished two lengths farther back in fourth.

Two-time Oaklawn riding champion Francisco Arrieta rode Mystik Dan ($5.14) for Kenny McPeek, Oaklawn’s third-leading trainer last season, and Arkansas owners Brent and Sharilyn Gasaway (Little Rock), Lance Gasaway (Star City) and Hot Springs natives Banks and Scott Hamby.

Arrieta was replacing Mystik Dan’s regular rider, Brian Hernandez Jr., who was injured in a Sept. 21 spill at Churchill Downs. Arrieta guided Mystik Dan to a runner-up finish, beaten a nose, in the $200,000 Lake Ouachita Stakes May 3 at Oaklawn.

Mystik Dan, racing on the inside in the Lukas Classic, was bottled up turning for home before splitting horses approaching the eighth pole and collaring Disarm in deep stretch. The winning time over a fast track was 1:49.25.

Mystik Dan was exiting a fourth-place finish in the G1-Arlington Million, a 1 ¼-mile race Aug. 9 at Colonial Downs that marked his grass debut. He also won $275,000 G3-Blame Stakes May 31 at Churchill Downs and broke his maiden there in November 2023.

In addition to the Southwest and Lake Ouachita, Mystik Dan finished fifth in Oaklawn’s $300,000 Smarty Jones Stakes and third in its $1.5 million G1-Arkansas Derby in 2024. Mystik Dan, a 4-year-old son of Goldencents, has bankrolled $4,819,160 in 16 lifetime starts.

The Lukas Classic represented the most lucrative career victory for Arrieta.

Finish Lines

Oaklawn’s stable area opens Oct. 23, with the track opening for training Oct. 28 in advance of its 2025-2026 meeting. The 64-day split season is scheduled to run Dec. 12-May 2. … Oaklawn-raced Patriot Spirit ($7.22) won the seven-furlong $200,000 G3-Vosburgh Stakes for 3-year-olds and up Saturday at Aqueduct. The Vosburgh was a “Win and You’re In” for the $2 million G1-Breeders’ Cup Sprint Nov. 1 at Del Mar. … Favored Oaklawn-raced Emmanuel ($5) won the $150,000 Carey Memorial Stakes for 3-year-olds and up at one mile on the turf Sunday at Hawthorne. … Favored Oaklawn-raced Surveillance ($4.40) won the $100,000 David M. Vance Stakes for 3-year-olds and up at six furlongs Sunday at Remington Park. Oaklawn stakes winner Ryvit finished third. … Oaklawn-raced Wildatlanticstorm ($18) won the $100,000 Dan Johnson Sprint Stakes Saturday at Prairie Meadows. Oaklawn-raced Glengarry finished second. … Favored Oaklawn-raced Won Happy Mama ($4) captured the $75,000 Iowa Classic Distaff Sprint Stakes at Prairie Meadows. … Oaklawn-raced Iron Dome finished second in the $400,000 G3-Oklahoma Derby Sunday at Remington Park. … Oaklawn allowance winner Awesome Aaron and Oaklawn maiden special weight graduate Gould’s Gold finished second and third, respectively, in the $200,000 Battery Park Stakes Sunday at Delaware Park. … Five-time Oaklawn winner Ninja Warrior finished second in the $100,000 Wilmington Sunday at Delaware Park. … Oaklawn allowance winner Neom Beach finished second in the $75,000 Ricks Memorial on the turf Sunday at Remington Park. … Oaklawn allowance winner and champion Straight No Chaser finished third in the $200,000 G2-Santa Anita Sprint Championship Stakes Sunday at Santa Anita. … Oaklawn maiden special weight graduate Seraphia finished third in the $200,000 Remington Park Oaks Sunday at Remington Park. … Jockey Tyler Bacon, Oaklawn’s runaway leading apprentice last season, won 96 races to capture his first career riding title at the Prairie Meadows meeting that concluded Saturday. Bacon, 17, became a journeyman late in the 2024-2025 Oaklawn meeting and finished with 49 victories to rank fourth in the standings. … Oaklawn all-time leading trainer Steve Asmussen enters Tuesday with a record 10,989 career North American victories, according to Equibase, racing’s official data gathering organization. Asmussen has 993 career Oaklawn victories.