Brian Hernandez, Ken McPeek Complete Kentucky Derby, Oaks Double In 'Dream' 150th Anniversary

Brian Hernandez had won a Breeders' Cup Classic aboard Fort Larned, but he entered the first weekend in May as "one of the most underrated riders in racing," according to trainer Ken McPeek. 

"Well, not anymore," McPeek quipped after he and Hernandez teamed up to win the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby with Mystik Dan (Goldencents), one day after winning the 150th Kentucky Oaks with Thorpedo Anna. It was the first win in each classic for both longtime Kentucky horsemen.

Saturday's finish was extremely close, with 18-1 chance Mystik Dan hanging on to win by a nose over Sierra Leone and Forever Young. In fact, Hernandez wasn't sure if he and Mystik Dan had been able to hold on after sneaking up the rail and scoring a two-length lead at the head of the lane, then trying to hold off those two rivals in the shadow of the wire. After galloping out, Hernandez turned in his saddle to watch the stretch run on Churchill Downs' giant television screen. When it showed the slow-motion video of the three horses crossing the wire, Hernandez threw his hands in the air.

"This is unbelievable," Hernandez said. "That was the longest few minutes of my life, waiting for them to post that photo.

"This is a lifetime achievement, this goes to our whole family... To be able to live that dream that I had when I was a 6-year-old kid, riding my bike around my grandparents farm and telling them I was going to win the Kentucky Derby one day, well, here we are."

Mystik Dan is owned by Valley View Farm and his breeders, Lance Gasaway, Daniel Hamby and 4G Racing. 

Ultimately, Mystik Dan completed 1 1/4 miles over Churchill Downs' fast main track in 2:03.34. Sierra Leone ran second by a nose as the 9-2 second choice, and Japan's Forever Young ran third by another nose at odds of 7-1. Catching Freedom and T O Password filled out the top five finishers. Fierceness, the 3-1 favorite at post time, broke well but faded to finish near the back of the field.

Hernandez is the first rider since Calvin Borel in 2009 to complete the Oaks-Derby double (Rachel Alexandra and Mine That Bird), and this is the closest finish since Grindstone won by a nose in 1996. Hernandez said the race was won around the far turn when he was able to slide along inside, actually bouncing his boot off the rail, before rushing up to the lead.