Last year’s Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan will return to his desired racing surface in the Grade 2 Lukas Classic on Saturday at Churchill Downs.

Mystik Dan won the 150th running of the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby in 2024 at odds of 18-1. The son of Goldencents prevailed by a mere nose under the Twin Spires in a three way photo finish with Sierra Leone and Forever Young. 

After the Derby, Mystik Dan went 0-for-5 before snapping his cold streak with a victory over eventual Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup winner Antiquarian in the Grade 3 Blame Stakes back in May. 

Trainer Kenny McPeek attempted to shift Mystik Dan to turf with a start in the Grade 1 Arlington Million in August at Colonial Downs where he ran fourth. After the less than ideal turf debut, Mystik Dan shipped to Churchill Downs to train for the Lukas Classic. Regular rider, Brian Hernandez Jr. gets the call once again. 

The Lukas Classic, run at one mile and one eighth on the main track at Churchill Downs, is named for the late Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas who passed earlier this year at age 89. He would have turned 90 this month. 

In addition to Mystik Dan, McPeek sends out Rattle N Roll who ran third in last year’s edition of the race. Jockey Julien Leparoux will be aboard the son of Connect. 

This year’s upset Dubai World Cup winner Hit Show will also line up to add another graded score to his resume. The five-year-old son of Candy Ride was bred by Gary and Mary West who owned Hit Show up until about a year ago. Hit Show debuted for new owner Wathnan Racing in last year’s Lukas Classic where he won by a neck over Cooke Creek. Florent Geroux will ride the Brad Cox trainee. 

Banishing is looking to score three stakes wins in a row for trainer David Jacobson. The son of Ghostzapper most recently won the Grade 2 Charles Town Classic going away. Banishing was entered in the Jockey Club Gold Cup that took place nine days after the Charles Town Classic but eventually scratched. 

While Banishing has yet to clinch Grade 1 glory, the Jacobson trainee came within a neck of the feat when he finished a close second to Mindframe in the Grade 1 Churchill Downs Stakes on the undercard of the 2025 Kentucky Derby. 

Willy D’s, Prince of Power, and Disarm complete the line for Saturday’s feature. 

Post time for the Grade 2 Lukas Classic is 5:29pm ET. 

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