Make it a double for Kenny McPeek.
The McPeek-trained Mystik Dan held off a late charge from Sierra Leone and Forever Young to win Saturday’s 150th running of the $5 million Kentucky Derby at 18-1 odds in front of 156,710 fans at Churchill Downs.
It was the first nose margin in a Derby since Grindstone beat Cavonnier in 1996. Sierra Leone also nosed out Forever Young — the Japanese contender — by a nose for second place.
McPeek won the Derby a day after his Thorpedo Anna won the Kentucky Oaks and became the first trainer to pull an Oaks-Derby double since 1952, when Ben Jones won with Real Delight (Oaks) and Hill Gail (Derby).
McPeek, the 61-year-old who was born in Arkansas and raised in Lexington, praised winning jockey Brian Hernandez Jr.
“Just a brilliant, brilliant, brilliant jockey and ride,” McPeek said. “Probably one of the most underrated riders, but not anymore, right?”
A son of Goldencents, Mystik Dan covered the 1 ¼ miles on a fast track in 2:03.34. He paid $39.22 on a $2 win wager.
Track Phantom and Just Steel battled for the early lead, with Track Phantom setting fractions of 22.97 seconds for the quarter-mile, 46.63 seconds for the half-mile and 1:11.31 for three-quarters.
