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Sharilyn Gasaway, my guest via Zoom, is part owner of Mystik Dan, the horse who clinched the victory in the 150th Kentucky Derby by the narrowest margin. Out of the one hundred and fifty Kentucky Derbies, only ten have been won by such a close margin, making this a truly remarkable and inspiring day for Sharilyn, her husband Brent, their cousin Lance, and the rest of their team.

I was introduced to Sharilyn by our mutual friend and hat designer extraordinaire, Christine A. Moore. Locally, Christine’s hats are on exhibit at the Gmeiner Art and Cultural Center in Wellsboro, PA, until August 4th, Horse Racing Fashion.

Sharilyn’s story of being involved in horse racing all started the night her husband Brent was going to ask her to marry him. He was late to meet her that night because he was at a horse race! She must have said yes because they celebrated their 34th wedding anniversary this past week!

After marriage, because Brent had always loved horse racing, he invited her to the barn to see some horses. Meeting those horses ignited a desire to work in the horse business. Before meeting the horses, she resisted investing in a horse for years because of her background in accounting, and sometimes, getting into horse racing could be financially challenging.

The purchase of the horse, Ma’am, that foaled Mystik Dan was made possible through the efforts of Brent’s cousin Lance Gasaway, who underscored the importance of family in this journey. When asked if they wanted to be a part of breeding her, they agreed to join the journey.

When Sharilyn talks about Mystik Dan, she expresses how he was so personable and calm even when she met him when he was a few weeks old. In his first race at Keeneland, he almost won! In his second race, he won at Churchhill Downs. They started calling Sharilyn’s team to purchase him. Sharilyn said, ” I’m not selling my baby!” She says that he has a God-given talent and believes that God directs our paths.

This year, they had the privilege of entering their homebred Mystik Dan into the 150th Kentucky Derby. He won by a nose!
Fashion has always played an essential role in the major horse races, and the Kentucky Derby is no exception. I asked Sharilyn how she met our mutual friend Christine, and she told me it was another Christine employed by BARBARA/JEAN, where they sold Christine’s hats. Sharilyn needed a pink hat for an upcoming occasion, and Christine came to the rescue! For over fifteen years, Christine has made Sharilyn’s hats upon request. The day Mystik Dan won the 150th Kentucky Derby, Sharilyn wore one of Christine’s! They are now good friends and sisters in Christ, so their relationship will have a firm foundation for many years to come!

Sharilyn and Brent have two adult children: 24-year-old twins Logan and Lauryn, and a soon-to-be daughter-in-law, Maddie Frazier.