Okay, well welcome back to the Dan Time podcast.
Folks, I'm your host, Dan McArdle. Thanks for
coming along for the ride. As week in and week
out, I combed the Daniverse, as I call it, for
interesting, insightful, impactful guests, people,
personalities, performers, you name it. We featured
standouts in sports, music, entertainment, sharing
stories from people that I think you ought to
hear about. Well, what about a Bay cult that
you need to hear about? That's right. Today,
I am elated to be talking about the winner of
the 150th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs,
Mystic Dan. To speak on Dan's behalf, it brings
me great pleasure to welcome part of the ownership
group for Mystic Dan, along with his cousin Brent
and Sherlyn Gasaway and Daniel Hamby. Today Lance
Gasaway joins me to talk some Mystic Dan. I'm
sure he's talked a lot about this three -year
-old Kentucky Derby winner, but hopefully he's
still excited to cover some more ground today.
How are you doing Lance Gasaway? Doing great,
Dan. And yes, it's been a been very exciting
to be on this trip with the horse and very excited
to be on the air with you. Thanks for having
me on. Oh, I sure appreciate it. And I hope this
joke doesn't sound too cliche. But as I understand
it, if we go all the way back here, this story
really starts. It goes back to three guys at
a bar. Is that right? That's correct. That's
correct. Ten years ago or so. Yeah, it's probably
yeah probably 13 14 years ago, but my brother
and Daniel Hanby and myself was in a bar across
the street from Oaklawn Park having a few afternoon
drinks and End up getting into the horse racing
business. I Love it. And at this time so So now
you've got the Oaklawn Racing Casino and Resort,
but at that time was just Oaklawn Park That's
correct That's correct back then it was just
yeah, they didn't even have the casino back then
so you and your dad and a friend Dan Hanby were
celebrating a good day a decent day at the racetrack
and Guy approaches you about you know, he says
he's got three Arkansas bread horses and want
to see if y 'all were interested Yes, but my
dad was not actually with me then it was my brother
my brother Greg and myself and Daniel Hanby My
dad, he went to the races and all, but he wasn't
actually with us when we started that. Dad got
involved when we bought Mystic Dan's mama, ma
'am. When we bought her, that's when my dad got
involved. Uh huh. Now, people that listen to
the show have heard me say this a few times,
may bounce around on the timeline a little bit
here, but I'm always intrigued with the names
of third -bred horses, and this story, I guess,
is no different. Mystic tape people of a certain
age Because I got to say I wasn't familiar with
the brand but this this was one of the old Borden
brands I think was a like a cloth tape or electrical
tape that Dan Hanby Daniel the third Daniel Hanby
the third old man used to sell this tape. Is
that right? That's correct. He started the company
there in a hot springs And I'm not familiar with
the exact timeline. I think it was in the 70s
when that company started. But yes, his daddy,
Dan Hamby, started selling Mystic Tape is where
it started. Sure did. It's just such a cool story
because it was his turn or it was the younger
Hamby's turn to name the horse and he paired
the two together. It just it's got a great ring
to it. I'm a Dan. Of course, I'm going to like
it, but Do y 'all kind of test run some of these
names and ask around say hey, what do y 'all
think about it? This is what we've decided No,
you know actually, you know, so so it was three
partners So to kind of give you a little bit
of more background. So like after We bought the
horses in the bar the arquebreds they didn't
do you know, they that was just got us I guess
you say got our feet wet into the business and
We eventually went and purchased a horse named
Malm and it was four of us. My dad joined in
then, so myself, my brother, Daniel and dad joined
in and we bought Malm. Well, after Malm's career
was over, dad decided to get out of the breeding
process because we was going to make a broodmare
out of the Malm. And my brother decided he didn't
want to be a part of it. So me and Daniel was
left alone. And that's when I asked Brent and
Sherlyn if they had like to join in on breeding
this horse. So then we bred. So it was three
of us owners. And we just said, hey, we'll take
turns naming these horses, you know. So, yeah,
it was Daniel's time. And he picked Mystic Dan.
We didn't question us. You know, it's his turn.
You name him whatever you want. Sounded good
to us. Now, you mentioned ma 'am. Mystic Dan's
mom or the they call it the dam Right. Um, where
does Colonel John come into the picture? Is this
is this mystic Dan's father? That's his grandfather.
Okay, that's my daddy Colonel John was ma 'am
daddy mystic Dan's daddy is golden sense That's
right. I looked up Colonel John saw he finished
sixth in the Derby the 2008 Kentucky Derby. Yep
But speaking of mystic Dan, so a lot of questions
I want to ask here, but I first I've got to point
out that this was the In this year's race. This
was the closest three horse photo finish and
over 80 or close to 80 years I guess 1947 48
Right. What are y 'all? You know, I know Brian
Brian Hernandez the jockey. He's just twisting
in the wind. He's waiting for the results How
are y 'all feeling? Are you are you personally
a ball of nerves when this is going on? Are you
kind of the um, are you projecting calm, but
you're Everybody's holding their breath. What
is that? Like when you're waiting for those for
the results? You know So we were about 10 from
where we were sitting We had a suite all the
owner's suites are like right there along the
finish line. Okay, so there's 20 different suites
there. So I think we were about 10 yards in front
of the finish line. Honestly, I thought we won,
but, you know, we were all hollering, everybody,
you know, hollering, coming down the stretch
and all. And I'm sitting there just, you know,
after the race and I'm like, you know, you're
trying to catch your breath because it was so
close. And Robbie Alvarado, looks at me said
let's go and I said well go where and he said
well we gotta go down the winter circle and I
said well we don't know if we won yet he said
oh we won now he's a jockey you know Robbie's
a you know he won with swiss skydiver when swiss
skydiver won the prickness and all and uh I mean
he's rode a lot of horses and I think he's had
over 5 000 wins he would probably be a hall of
fame jockey but he he would work the horse and
I've worked for Kenny McPeak and had uh helped
train the horse and all and And he was like,
come on, man, we got to go. And I'm like, man,
we need to make sure. And he said, no, I'm telling
you, we won, we won. And I'm like, OK. So we
take off. And we start heading toward the winter
circle. And about that time, they pop it up that
we won. And of course, as soon as I cross the
track, there's two state troopers grabbing me.
And they said, are you Lance Gasway? And I said,
yes. They said, well, you need to go. And I'm
like, where are we going? What have I done? You
know, I'm a country boy from Arkansas. I'm like,
what's going on here? The governor's got to present
you the trophy. So, you know, it's all live and
all, you know, so everything's a rush. So really,
I didn't, you know, we just had a minute or so
where we were just even wondering if we won.
And I mean, after that, everything was just war
speed. You know, rush to the stage, pitchers,
press conference after all of that. But it was
a... It was it was a tense minute. I guess you
would say Yeah, and you know they say that he
I guess it's common to just say That a winning
horse wins by a nose, but this was like half
a nose or whatever Whatever you would say over
Sierra Leone It was close I would say two or
three inches. Yeah, and then forever young right
behind and third Yeah, this I watched it on TV
and But maybe I just saw the replay right after
and I thought he had it. I thought mystic Dan
had it But I knew it was extremely close, but
I felt pretty good when the decision was pending
also reading from Some of the reporting right
after the race that mystic Dan got so close to
the rail that Brian's boot struck the rail. I
don't know if that if that caused him much concern
or not, but Yes, that's the head of the stretch.
There was a, just for a split second, there was
a gap. The horse moved to the outside. I think
it was a fierceness, if I'm not mistaken. I can't
remember the horse. Anyway, he moved to the outside
a little bit and just a little small gap there
and Brian started heading through it and the
horse squeezed him back down up against the rail
and it actually, yeah, hit his boot pretty hard
there on the rail, kind of slowed his up a little
bit. but uh he shot on through it. Honestly the
way this horse's turn of foot is, I mean he has
a real good turn of foot there at the head of
the stretch and I thought we was going to pull
away and win four or five lengths and then of
course uh Forever Young and Sierra Leone was
coming at us hard there at the end, but yeah
he did hit the rail pretty hard with his boot.
Matter of fact he said he had a mark on it or
port and he said you know I think I got enough
money now I could buy a new pair. Now y 'all
are in the ownership group and Kenny Mcpeake,
you know a lot more than the average Spectator,
I mean you've seen him. He's won the Arkansas
Derby I'm sorry finished third in the Arkansas
Derby March 30th won the Southwest stakes on
February 3rd, you know what this cult is capable
of How how did you feel going into that day?
Is everybody checking the weather the night before?
And what do you think when you see the odds?
You know, how does the average owner or trainer
react when they see 18 to 1 versus 9 to 2 or
what have you? You know, odds to me has really
never... I really don't even think about the
odds. I guess I grew up, I was an underdog when
I played sports. You know, I walked on at college
and all. So, you know, to me, it's all about
the horse and the heart of the horse. We knew
going in the Arkansas Derby, we had a good shot
at that race. We just didn't get a good trip.
We got hit pretty hard after the first turn with
four wide on the first turn. And then starting
to backstretch, we get bumped into really hard
and almost knocked Brian off the horse. And by
the time he gets resettled up under the horse,
we've done lost five links. and five lengths
in a grade one race, when something like that
happens to you, unless you got some kind of monster,
you're not gonna come back and win a race like
that. So for us to get third in that race, we
felt really good from the trip we had. So going
into the Kentucky Derby, of course, anybody's
biggest concern is if you get a good trip, you
got 20 horses in there. And trying to navigate
through 20 horses, you gotta have a lot of luck.
and we had a jockey that just literally rode
the perfect race and uh We had a perfect trip
Rode the perfect race the jockey did and the
horse performed, you know and um Mystic dan goes
on to finish second the preakness finishes eighth
in the belmont stakes But I read about I don't
know how common this is visit hot springs arkansas
visit hot springs is planning to release mystic
dan trading cards What are your thoughts on that?
They've already released them. They had a big
thing up in Little Rock where they made the cards
and all and the owners, we all went up there
and watched the production of the cards and all
and approved them. But yeah, it's exciting. We've
given out a lot of these cards. I think originally
they were going to make 30 ,000 of them and they
ended up making 60 ,000 because there was so
much demand for them. One thing about Arkansas
is when. Something good goes in Arkansas sports
wise and anything else that the state comes together
and you know you just can't imagine how many
calls we've had about people supporting Mystic
Dan and you know rooting for him and the state
is really good at that. This was a huge day for
the state of Arkansas. Going back to the Kentucky
Derby. Absolutely, Kentucky Derby and you know,
a huge day for, you know, Oakland Park, you know,
this horse, you know, went through the, the process
there through the Southwest and Arkansas Derby,
you know, so that's, that's good attention for
Oakland Park and then, you know, naturally myself
and the other owners that we have, you know,
I went to a small college that's good, you know,
publicity for our college, a small town, communities
I live in, Star City, Arkansas, and good Arkansas
people have never heard of them, you know, so.
It's just good for the whole entire state all
around Now I loved reading about I guess the
night after or the night of the Kentucky Derby
instead of staying there in Louisville, you're
you're heading back to a VRBO or Virbo home in
Lexington and just saying that look I don't I
don't need all the hustle bustle of The big city
or whatever. I'm I'm a small -town guy Did I
read that correctly was that? a quote from you
or from Brent? That's from me. That's me. I'm,
you know, the governor there of Governor Beshears
there of Kentucky there, you know, he was up
on the stage and before we went live, he and
I was talking and he's very nice guy. Really
enjoyed visiting with the governor and he says
to me, So I understand you don't like big crowds."
And I said, well, I'm a country boy, you know?
So me here in front of 160 ,000 people is crazy,
you know? And he said, so have you ever been
to the Kentucky Derby? And I said, no, sir. And
he said, well, would you ever come back? And
I said, no, sir. Not unless I had a horse in
here. He said, well, not to put any pressure
on you. Since you don't like big crowds, he said,
but you're fixing to go in front of 28 million
people. So yeah, you know, we stayed down at
Lexington. Every time we go to Louisville to
watch one of our horses run and all, it's nothing
against the town of Louisville. I mean, you know,
CDI was great to us, Churchill bounds there.
You know, I like the atmosphere down in Lexington.
It's more hometown to me is smaller. And that's
where all the farms are for the horses. and Kenny's
farm Magdalena is there and that's where Miami
is with a couple of her babies so you know we
get to go see the babies and feed them peppermints
and just you know it's just more down -to -earth
homie to me in Lexington and not as big. I just
feel more comfortable there. I have a one connection
in Lexington. One of my dad's best friends lives
in Lexington so I've enjoyed visiting. It's been
a long time. I'd love to go back. Yeah, I really
enjoy Lexington. They have a restaurant there.
We really like to call Tony's and it's right
downtown They're right across from Ruppe Arena,
but boy it is really good food Well, let's uh
One other thing I wanted to mention kind of going
back to what you were saying. I wanted to add
this as well Brent's wife Sherilyn said Kind
of following up on what you're saying there.
She said this We feel like we're just ordinary
people and we've got an amazing horse Can he
refer to working Dan working tan mystic Dan as
a working -class horse? Yes, I mean that's us.
I mean, we're just hey, I'm a farmer I grew up
when we raised rice cotton corn and soybeans.
I mean I I'm 61 years old. I've been farming
since I got out of college and 86 I Mean I do
other things as well. But I mean farming's been
my my livelihood, you know and I mean, I go out
in the dirt on a tractor and I'm a farmer. So
we're just an ordinary hardworking blue collar
worker, you know. And this horse, he's kind of
like an old soul. I mean, if you've seen this
horse, he's just not as hyper as these other
horses. He's not as high strong. He walks around
and just as calm as he can be. I mean, like nothing
shakes him. Reminds me a lot of his mama. Ma
'am was a real loving horse. She had she had
love on you and you know, you feed her peppermints
and just I mean literally just kiss on her love
on her whatever she wouldn't bite your nuts in
this horse the same way Mystics got the same
personality as his mama. It's real laid -back
horse I'm glad you said that Lance. I was I think
people might be curious about the relationship
that y 'all establish with whether it's One of
the owners or the trainer or the certainly the
jockey, you know Brian and Kenny but talk about
the relationship that y 'all develop with ma
'am and mystic Dan and a golden sense Yeah, you
know that's so Bobby and I Bobby Joe my Actually,
she's my fiance. We're fixing to be married Congratulations.
Thank you. We uh, you know, we go to Oaklawn
every weekend When it's going from now it starts
up usually around the first or second week of
December and goes till Derby Day, May the 4th.
And every weekend we go to Hot Springs and we
got a place over there so we'll go over and stay
and go to the races usually on Friday and Saturdays
and we'll get up in the mornings. I'm an early
riser, a farmer, so I'm an early riser. And we
go to the barns and watch the horses work out.
go by and feed them peppermints and just enjoy
being around them you know they're they're fascinating
athletes and to me it's just you know i i just
love watching them work out love watching being
around them talking with the trainers the jockeys
um and we got a lot of friends you know uh that's
trainers and jockeys and we just enjoy being
around that it's just different for me you know
being an athlete it's a competition to me number
one i want to have good horses and You know,
you want to win and I'm a very competitive person
by nature and I don't know probably to a fault,
you know, I I'm Real competitive I like winning
well Lance in 2015 I'm glad you mentioned this
because I wanted to kind of take a section of
this call and highlight your playing career and
2015 you're inducted into the University of Arkansas
at Monticello Hall of Fame You mentioned you're
a walk -on with the bow weevils Take me back
a little bit to 84 85. I don't remember which
year you're a freshman or upperclassman and We'll
talk about you still hold some records at that
school. Yeah and in 80 85 was my senior year
and Yeah, I have a few records that that I'd
sat down there, you know my college career I
walked on down at UAM, my cousins, my two cousins
and my brother actually were playing football
down there. And one of my cousins was an all
-American tight end. So he's, I kind of looked
up to him and he was two years older than I was.
And, you know, walked on and had a good career.
You know, football's a, it's a team sport, you
know. And to me, you know, when you give individual
accolades like that, it's, I'm not, big on that.
I mean I you know I had a quarterback that was
he's in the Hall of Fame there you know we had
a I had a good receiving corps that was I was
a wide receiver and I had a good receiving corps
that that you know complimented me you know that
took pressure off me and then then you know you
got offensive line and you know we had two guys
I know one of them was an academic all -american
Ray Howard and it takes 11 guys out there so
um you know and I mean yeah the I got inducted
into Hall of Fame, but to me it was it was our
team that should have been there because One
person don't do that. It takes a team effort
It sure does and I'm sure like you said even
with the years going by once a competitor always
a competitor and I always wonder because you
know that I wouldn't even call it the dream But
the dream came to an end for me a lot earlier
Do you miss it that first year or two once you've
taken the uniform off and you're you're not gonna
be playing? At that level How do guys transition
was it was it easy for you or? You know, I actually
I actually got the opportunity to try professionally
We had a coach at a Henderson State University
sporty carpenter he was good friends with my
father -in -law back at that time and He had
a friend that was an agent and he got me a try
a walk -on or a try out a free agent contract
Up in or not a free agent contract, but a free
agent camp up in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania so
I went up to actually try out professionally
and And it and I missed it a year so the year
I graduated I was getting ready to go and the
NFL Folded that's when NFL went on a strike And
so I didn't get a chance to try out that first
year. In the second year, I had to sit out a
year and I just kept training on. I went the
next year and try it out and end up at a, had
a pretty decent camp and got my knee hurt. Like
on the last day in the second half of the game,
we have like a big scrimmage game and got my
knee hurting and I didn't go get it fixed. And
sure enough, they called me to come up and I
just wasn't ready. So I just wasn't meant to
be. But it was hard for me to let go of the game.
I mean, it got, I really struggled going to watch
high school games and, you know, that kind of
stuff and kind of stayed away for it for three
or four years. And then a buddy of mine at star
city, the high school I went to was a head coach
and he says, Hey, won't you come, I want you
to come work with my receivers one day, if you
don't mind. I said, sure. I'll come. So I went
over and started working with the receivers,
trying to help them. I coached them some and
then he ended up asking me to be the offensive
coordinator. So then I got back in it and there
goes that competitiveness. You know, you're offensive
coordinator, you're wanting to outdo the guy
on the other side and you're wanting to win.
So I did that for four or five years. I was just
a volunteer guy that kept out there at the school,
my old school and really enjoyed it. Yeah. I've
got some friends and in fact, one that appeared
on the podcast early in this project. and play
quarterback at University of Central Florida.
And you can just tell, I mean, I think I would
feel the same way that it's always in your blood
and they don't make movies. I know Field of Dreams
is a baseball movie, but they don't make movies
like that. If there wasn't, if most people who
played their chosen sport didn't want to keep
playing it as long as they could. Oh, absolutely.
I agree 100%. And you know, the only reason I
got out from coaching is that my kids, my boys
at that point were about to get to the age from
junior high, moving up to senior high. And, you
know, I didn't want, I wanted my kids to do what
they did on their own, you know, not because
of. who I was or what I accomplished. And I just
didn't, I didn't think that would be fair to
them with me being a coach or somebody, you know,
how people are the, you know, hey, he's playing
because he's his son or whatever, you know, I
said, no, I want to be away from that. I want
him to stand on his own. So that's, that's when
I walked out and just became a spectator at that
point. Lance, real quick, just kind of anecdote
here, looking over the schedule from 1985. I
grew up a lot. Most of the time I was growing
up was in the Birmingham area and I see that
second game of this season y 'all played Samford
University Yes, yes, they had just like started
their football program back then I remember right
they were like might have been their first or
second year to start a start their program back
or just started up one Talking about record set
but sometimes I just like to ask about memories
Are there any plays that nobody talks about that
you remember that you? particularly exciting
that you were a part of or maybe a long drive,
80, 90 yard length of the field drive under the
gun or anything like that? You know, we was playing
Henderson's, probably the biggest thing that
sticks out to me. We was playing Henderson and
this is one of the games I'd set a record on.
And this corner, he was a good corner. So it
was a, I guess you'd say a lot of publicity about
him guarding me, you know, that game. And, uh,
we kept working the sideline. We just, Joe Don
and I, and, uh, Joe Don had the coach, you know,
he had the ride. He could check off any time
to any play. Well, this corner kept playing off
of me. So we kept running these out routes, you
know, I mean, you set a record when you just
keep running out rail. Okay. We keep running
these out routes and. Uh, we're back in the huddle
and I look at Joe and I said, he's ready. And
he said, you sure? And I said, I'm telling you,
he's ready. So I could tell this corner was wanting
to hop that route, you know? And, uh, so we run
a out and up, you know, wheel route. And as soon
as I turn up, I hear the corner say, oh shit.
I just sticks in my head. It was a touchdown.
You know, that kind of stuff like that just really
sticks in your head. I love it. Well, I could
talk to you about the football. the football
stuff for an entire episode as well. Coming back
to Mystic Dan here for a second. Now, a big deal
for Arkansas and for Oaklawn, for Oaklawn Horses,
some previous names some people might be familiar
with, Zenyatta, Rachel Alexander, American Pharaoh,
certainly. Smarty Jones, about 20 years ago?
Yep. How does it feel to be kind of a, mentioned
in the same breath as? American Pharaoh or Smarty
Jones? Well, you know, the American Pharaoh,
if I'm not mistaken, was the only other cards
that they ran through, like these trading cards
at Oaklawn. So, yeah, I mean, it's just unbelievable
to think that, you know, we're in the same breath
as an American Pharaoh, Rachel Alexander, Smarty
Jones, all of them. I mean, it's just very humbling,
very humbling. And I'm sure people ask what's
next for mystic Dan and maybe it hasn't been
decided upon but um anything you can speak to
about mystic Dan and Yeah, you know he the Belmont
You know a lot of it He had a mucus after the
race We scoped him because we knew he didn't
have that turn of foot at the head of the stretch
like he normally does and And when they get mucus
in their throat, they have trouble breathing
And also he had a four out of 10, the way they
kind of scale it, you know, on laryngitis or
sore throat. So he had obviously picked up some
kind of cold that week. So we decided to give
him 30 days off. And in all fairness to the horse,
probably, you know, he had ran a... Three grade
one races the Triple Crown in five weeks there,
so I'm sure his immune system as an athlete You
know you get beat down you get tired even as
a human. You know you go work You know some people
have to work 24 hour shift No, you go work a
shift like that your body get you know you get
beat down you get tired and I'm sure a mystics
body was was a His immune system was probably
beat down a little bit which was made him successful
to a cold or whatever So we're gonna give him
30 days rest where he's just going to turn him
out, let him be a horse, let him eat grass and
just, just relax for 30 days. And then we're
going to bring it back in training and get him
ready for the Travers state. And, uh, I think
it's like August 24th and then, uh, possibly
the Pennsylvania Derby the next month in September,
and then shoot for the breeders' cup. That's
the plan for him. Well, I'm so excited to be
talking about Mystic Dan and have been following
him. During this exciting ride and to get some
inside perspective from you Lance and some stuff
that maybe my listeners are Hopefully this is
enlightening for people How how about now? This
is just some extra tidbits here, but Kenny McPeak
had a triple crown victory Over 20 years ago.
I cannot believe this I had to look at it two
or three times a 70 to one favorite Sarava am
I pronouncing that right? To Hano run wasn't
it? No, no, no, you're right. You're right the
2002 Belmont stakes Yes, I don't I can't remember
the name of that guy that horse but I yes, you're
exactly right. He did idea talking and I agree
with you on odds and just from my perspective,
but 70 to one that's gotta You know, there's
something I always told somebody and there's
so much truth to this, especially a while ago,
you said, okay, well, we're not literally talking
to Mystic Dan, you know, we can't, but that's
a problem. A lot of people will come up to you
for the, well, what do you think about your horse?
Well, I don't know. I went to the barn this morning,
he wasn't talking. And there's what happened
with the Belmont. You know, we scoped that horse
the week before we had to work the week before
the Belmont and worked him. and they scope them
after they work them because it gets their you
know their blood flowing good gets them attached
you know everything's going good on the horse
and that's when you can really tell if there's
something wrong with their airway their breathing
and all that kind of stuff so if you just went
he woke up in the morning you scoped him you
wouldn't see nothing even if there was something
there unless it was inflamed throat you know
like the laryngitis but after the mucus you would
never see it because it hadn't come up so that
morning I mean, during that week, sometime, he
caught a cold. Because that Saturday before the
race, everything was good. He had no mucus, nothing.
We checked him right after the work. So, you
know, if we would have got up and scoped him
the morning of the race, we wouldn't have seen
nothing other than maybe a little bit of laryngitis,
you know. Right. That's the bad thing about horse
racing. These suckers can't talk to you. So you
don't really know how they feel. Whereas an athlete,
you know, you get up how you feel today. Well,
I don't feel real good. Well, if you've got a
cold, you're not going to be able to breathe
is good either. And you're not going to perform
as well. So these are high performance athletes.
And any time they have something like that, it
can happen. So, you know, there's some days that
a 70 to one feels good and maybe the favorite
over here don't, you know, and hey, it was his
day. It happens. That's an excellent point. I'm
glad you mentioned that, that it sounds simple,
but yeah, you can't talk to the horse. He can't
express, you know, what's, if he's feeling ill
or if he's, if something's aching or something
that just can't be diagnosed. Yep. The only thing
that they can really do and, you know, all the
trainers, you know, we have Brad Cox that trained
some of our horse or one of my horses as well.
And Brad's trained other horses for me and Kenny,
they're, they're, you know, they're good trainers.
But man, these guys, their hands are tied because
the only thing they can go by is how good the
horse is eating, how good he's moving. And they
check them every day. You know, they'll rub their
legs, you know, and if there's heat in it, you
know, naturally there's something there, but
they do everything they can to make sure the
horses are ready. But just when it all comes
down to it, the horse can't talk to them. Well,
Lance, I got to say, I so appreciate your time
today. If we get an opportunity to talk some
more mystic Dan I'd certainly love to and This
has just been fantastic Dan I really enjoyed
being on your show and anytime you want to talk
just give me a call and We'll have a little conversation
Yeah, this has just been a thrill for the Dan
time podcast I'm serious folks. This is I'm really
hitting hitting a peak here with this episode
because You just can't this is the stuff Sincerely
it's the stuff dreams are made of mystic Dan
I think it's got to be a lot of racing fans that
find I'm sure this happens all the time Lance
where people hear a horse's name and it reminds
them of their Grandmother reminds them of a of
a best friend or something like that. I bet I
bet you hear stories like that all the time.
Oh Yeah, yeah, you know a lot of people, you
know go the race especially ladies, you know,
they'll go to the races. Well, I just bet on
this because of the name, you know, so you hear
a lot of that. And and Mystic, but Mystic Dan
certainly was not expected to win. And what a
thrill it was that day at Churchill Downs. Absolutely.
It was a unbelievable day, something we'll never
forget. And, you know, for myself and my owners
and my family, you know, I don't know if you
know this, but it was even more so rewarding
to Myself that that the day that mystic damn
one was a year earlier. My dad passed away on
that same day Yes, sir, and I meant to Bring
that up here in our conversation if you got just
a minute out since we're right off of Father's
Day I want to give you an opportunity to Talk
about your dad and what he meant to you and the
bond that y 'all had Yeah dad, you know he got
us into racing, I guess you would say. I mean,
he liked to go the horse races, him and mom.
And dad loved the dog races as well over in West
Memphis. And I'll never forget the first race
that I ever bet on with dad back then. You know,
in the 70s, they didn't have live racing like
they do now on all these racing channels. All
they had was a 10 o 'clock news and they scrolled
the results down on the TV. You'd see just the
race results and scroll them on there. And dad
had let us bet a horse once and put $2 to win
on it, the horse won. And I remember we were
so excited to get home to get our $14. But that's
kind of where we got started. And then dad, we'd
go the dog races together, of course, over at
Oakland. And, you know, he loved it. And after
my brother got out, just my dad and I had bought
some horses together and my brother just kind
of got out. He's he's allergic to them so you
know he couldn't enjoy the part of going to the
barn and all that kind of stuff. The hay would
get him all eyes all swole up and all. So my
dad and I just kept doing it ourselves and we
actually had a horse in 2020 named Wells Bayou
that won the Louisiana Derby and we were the
leader for points to go to the Kentucky Derby.
But then the COVID hit And they delayed the Kentucky
Derby till September, and we ran in the Arkansas
Derby and got hurt. So we didn't get to run a
Kentucky Derby then. So I've been blessed to
have two horses that's actually qualified for
the Kentucky Derby. But Dad, he loved it. We
have another horse right now that's running named
Gould's Gold. That's where my dad grew up in
Gould, Arkansas. And actually we're gonna run
in the Ohio Derby Saturday. So y 'all go in and
watch the race up there There hey, there's another
one Goulds gold for people listening to this
show Add him to your watch list. I Love this.
I love this stuff and and you've got boys as
well. You have one or two sons. I Got two sons.
Mm -hmm Well, happy Father's Day Lance. I hope
you all had a great day yesterday We did and
I appreciate it. Happy Father's Day to all the
fathers out there. And y 'all have a great rest
of the week and here's to Mystic Dan and thanks
so much to Lance for making time to do this and
wish y 'all nothing but success. Thank you, Dan.
Thanks for having us on. We appreciate it. Okay.
Y 'all have a great week and we'll see you next
Sunday on the Dan Time Podcast.