Kentucky Derby Winner Mystik Dan Keeps His Victory Garland Close in Heartwarming Video
Video of Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan taking a break after his win has people online cheering. The American Thoroughbred was caught on video resting with his garland of roses from last weekend's race, and we can all agree that he certainly deserves the rest.
Dan won the race by a snout against Sierra Leone and Forever Young in a photo-finish.
Understandably, the American Thoroughbred would be just a little tired after all that work. The video from the Kentucky Derby's TikTok page shows the horse sleeping in his stall with his rose garland nearby.
Related: Horses' Reaction to Hearing the Races Going on Is Just Too Cute
"Rest up Mystik Dan! Preakness is in 12 days!" they joked in the video's caption, referring to the Preakness Stakes competition in Baltimore, Maryland.
But in Mystik Dan's defense he already brought the horse racing world to its knees by winning the Kentucky Derby. To say that he wasn't favored to win isn't an understatement. Before heading to Louisville, Dan had a relatively thin resume. He came in third at the Arkansas Derby and won at the Grade III Southwest Stakes, NBC News reports.
On the morning of the Kentucky Derby, Dan was listed with 20-1 odds. But people had a little more faith in the horse and ultimately bet him down to 18-1 by the start of the race. It wasn't clear that Dan was going to win, but he delivered. The Thoroughbred stormed the course in 2:03.34. In comparison, the 3-1 favorite, Fierceness, came in fifteenth.
This win earned his trainer Kenny McPeek a career Triple Crown win.
“I wasn’t sure if we had won,” jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. explained to the news outlet. “So it was quite a rush to sit here and wait for it.”
"Just a brilliant, brilliant, brilliant, jockey and ride," McPeek praised. "Brian’s amazing."
Online people praised Mystik Dan for a job well done. "I love that Mystik Dan had a 20-1 chance and he still came out on top!" one person exclaimed. "Post competition naps just hit so much different," another commenter joked. "The most earned nap of the weekend!!" a third person praised. "Sweet dreams, Champ," chimed in another commenter.
Hernandez is part of a legacy of horse riding. His father was a jockey, as are his two siblings. He told the news outlet that he's wanted to be a jockey for a longtime. He recalled that at 6 he would ride his bike around and tell people that he was going to be a jockey one day.
"This is a lifetime achievement," he said. "This goes to our whole family.
Looking for more PetHelpful updates? Follow us on YouTube for more entertaining videos. Or, share your own adorable pet by submitting a video, and sign up for our newsletter for the latest pet updates and tips.
