Derby Winner Mystik Dan to Begin Stud Career at Airdrie for $15k

[Wandering Eyes]

Last year's GI Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan (Goldencents–Ma'am, by Colonel John), who is expected to start next in the Nov. 1 GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, will begin his stud career next year at Airdrie Stud at an introductory fee of $15,000. In addition to the 2024 Derby, Mystik Dan also won this year's GII Lukas Classic Stakes and GIII Blame Stakes. He was runner-up in last year's GI Preakness Stakes and third in the GI Arkansas Derby, and heads to the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile as one of the leading contenders.

Girvin (Tale of Ekati–Catch the Moon, by Malibu Moon) leads the Airdrie 2026 roster, which was announced Wednesday, at $30,000–up from $25,000 in 2025. While the 11-year-old stallion's first Kentucky-bred crop will hit the track in 2026, he was represented this year by GI Ogden Phipps Stakes winner Dorth Vader. In the sale's ring, his 61 yearlings sold at last month's Keeneland September sale averaged $139,000 and he was represented by the $1.1-million sale topper at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May sale.

Also standing his first season at stud at Airdrie in 2026, graded winner Jonathan's Way (Vekoma–Female Drama, by Indian Charlie) will stand for $8,500.

Jonathan's Way, the first son of the white-hot Vekoma to be retired to stud, will also take up stud duties following his recent retirement from racing.  A `TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' in his Saratoga debut, he was a dominant winner of the Grade III Iroquois Stakes at Churchill Downs in his second start before ending his juvenile campaign with a fast-closing second in that track's Grade III Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes.  An early favorite for the following season's Grade 1 Kentucky Derby, Jonathan's Way's Triple Crown hopes were dashed early in his three-year-old season by a life-threatening bout with dolitis.  Though unable to return to the races following his illness, he retires to stud with a strong reputation and, at $290,000, being the most expensive weanling from Vekoma's debut crop.  Mystik Dan and Jonathan's Way will stand for initial fees of $15,000 and $8,500 respectively.

After solid years, Upstart and Complexity will stands for $25,000 and $20,000 respectively, with the latter taking a slight rate cut from $25,000. Like Girvin, Upstart's best-bred crop will be two-year-olds of 2026, but his juveniles of 2025 already have him ranked in the top 15 general sires, a ranking that would have been significantly improved had his Percy's Bar not been disqualified from her win in Saturday's Grade I Darley Alcibiades at Keeneland.  A rising commercial force, his Keeneland September highlights included a high price of $650,000 and an average of more than $122,000. Complexity, now the leading second-crop sire in America by percentage of stakes winners, can already count nine individual stakes winners from his first crop of three-year-olds and has added two new graded winners in the last 10 days in Innovative and his Breeders' Cup-bound second-crop star Intricate Spirit.

While 2023 GI Kentucky Derby winner Mage (Good Magic–Puca, by Big Brown) will stand for $15,000, after standing for $25,000 in 2025.

Airdrie's ultra-consistent duo of Cairo Prince and Collected will also offer breeders a savings over last year's fees.  A perennial fixture on the leading General Sires list, Cairo Prince's 2025 earnings already exceed $5.6 million.  He will stand for a fee of $10,000 for the upcoming season, down from $15,000. Collected, whose 2025 stars include the historic King's Plate hero Mansetti, Grade 2 winner Thought Process and leading juvenile stakes-winner Comport, stands at $7,500, down from $10,000 in 2025.

Airdrie's complete 2026 roster, with stud fees, is: Girvin, $30,000; Upstart, $25,000; Complexity, $20,000; Mage, $15,000; Mystik Dan, $15,000; Cairo Prince, $10,000; Jonathan's Way, $8,500; Beau Liam, $7,500; Collected, $7,500; Happy Saver, $7,500; Highly Motivated, $7,500; Divisidero, $3,500.

The post Derby Winner Mystik Dan to Begin Stud Career at Airdrie for $15k appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

View the full article