BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Mystic Lake, the Florida-bred champion 3-year-old filly and champion female sprinter of 2024 as named by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association, returns after two months on the sidelines in the $650,000 Resolute Racing Madison at Keeneland Tuesday. Originally schedule for Saturday but postponed because of weather, The Grade 1 Madison has eight fillies and mares, 4-years-old and older, entered to go seven furlongs.
Owned by Mark and Clint Cornett’s C2 Racing Stable LLC and Thomas Carney, Edwin A. Wilson and Stefanie Wilson’s Stefania Farms LLC, Mystic Lake makes her first start since taking the Grade 2 Inside Information going seven furlongs at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 25, defeating Emery by a neck.
In winning the Inside Information, Mystic Lake became a millionairess with earnings of $1,033,354 from a reliable career record of seven wins in 14 starts with three seconds and a third.
Last year Mystic Lake had a banner campaign with five stakes victories and earnings of $838,908. She won the Grade 2 Charles Town Oaks in August, the Grade 3 Miss Preakness at Pimlico Racecourse in May, the $75,000 Gasparilla January and the $100,000 Stonehedge Farm Sophomore Fillies in March, both at Tampa Bay Downs; and the Listed Sugar Swirl at Gulfstream Park in December.
Mystic Lake is by Mo Town out of Salty Soul, by Itsmyluckyday and was bred in Florida by Peggy Costanzo. She was purchased by Turf Express Racing Partners for $130,000 out of the 2023 Ocala Breeders’ Sales March Sale of 2-year-olds in training where she was consigned by Tom McCrocklin.
(Mystic Lake’s Under Tack Video)
Mystic Lake is trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., who has given the riding assignment to Irad Ortiz Jr. Mystic Lake is 7-2 on the morning line and has the outside post eight.
She tries to become the first Florida-bred winner of the Madison since Harold L. Queen’s homebred Sheer Drama in 2016.
Emery is the 3-1 favorite to avenge her loss to Mystic Lake.
The 4-year-old daughter of More Than Ready is trained by Brad Cox for Stonestreet Stables LLC and also makes her first start since the Inside Information.
Last year she won the Grade 2 Raven Run going seven furlongs at Keeneland on Oct. 19 and the Grade 3 Victory Ride during the Belmont at Big meet in July. She also won a first level, $100,000 optional claiming at Keeneland in April and the $170,000 Leslie’s Lady at Churchill Downs in June.
Emery has won five of eight lifetime efforts with two seconds while earning $695,986.
She will break from post two with Luan Machado aboard.
Also set for the Madison are Positano Sunset with jockey Julien Leparoux, Harbor Springs and rider Brian Hernandez Jr., My Mane Squeeze has Luis Saez taking the riding assignment, Dazzling Move will be guided by Edgard Zayas and Flavien Prat rides Scylla.
Return to the April 5 issue of Wire to Wire
