Mystic Guide headed to Razorback at Oaklawn

Mystic Guide, whose most recent start produced a close second-place finish in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup on Oct. 10, will launch his 4-year-old campaign Feb. 13 at Oaklawn Park in the $600,000 Razorback, trainer Mike Stidham said Sunday.

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Mystic Guide might’ve started in the Jan. 23 Pegasus World Cup had he not contracted a relatively minor virus in December, but the period of illness compromised Mystic Guide’s preparation for that potential start. Mystic Guide began working again Jan. 15 and on Jan. 29 posted a five-furlong Fair Grounds drill in 1:00.40 that Stidham called “one of his better works.”

“Very nice five-eighths with a strong final eighth and an impressive gallop-out,” Stidham said in a text message.

Stidham trains Mystic Guide for Godolphin, which has another talented Fair Grounds-based 4-year-old in the Brendan Walsh-trained Maxfield. Maxfield also went through a fairly brief illness during December at Fair Grounds but he, too, has gotten back on a steady breeze pattern, going five furlongs in 1:00.40 on Sunday. Mystic Guide shipping to Oaklawn could open the door to Maxfield making his first start as a 4-year-old in the Mineshaft on Feb. 13 at Fair Grounds.