The fleet-footed Mitole continued his hot streak, registering his sixth straight victory and first at the highest level in the newly upgraded GI Churchill Downs S. It was the third Grade I win of the weekend for trainer Steve Asmussen and rider Ricardo Santana, who also teamed up to win Friday's GI La Troienne S. with She's a Julie (Elusive Quality) and Saturday's GI Humana Distaff with Mia Mischief (Into Mischief), who is also partly owned by Mitole's owners William and Corinne Heiligbrodt.
Favored at 2-1, the bay did not take up his usual position at the head of affairs, but instead stalked from a two-wide third as Bobby's Wicked One and Promises Fulfilled duked it out through an opening quarter in :22.38. Sitting patiently on Promises Fulfilled's outside hip with Uncontested (Tiz Wonderful) running alongside him, Mitole inched a bit closer as the half went up in :44.71. The Steve Asmussen pupil drew even with Promises Fulfilled while out wide on the far turn and that rival called it a day in early stretch, while Bobby's Wicked One continued to box on from the fence. Mitole quickly disposed of that foe as well, bounding clear in late stretch for yet another decisive victory. Bobby's Wicked One was a valiant second with Promises Fulfilled holding third over Do Share (Candy Ride {Arg}).
“Steve [Asmussen] has done a really amazing job with this horse,” said Santana. “He's a really special horse for me. Today we knew there was a lot of speed in the race and it set up perfectly for him.”
“He's for real,” said Asmussen. “Everyone has always been beaming about his potential and he met his potential today and is now a Grade I winner. The horse has been capable of what he's done before. But you see his attitude, the way he moves, you love to see it come together. Ricardo's confidence in the horse, the way he rode him, he didn't panic. He wasn't on his normal [spot on the] lead, but he was comfortable. Quick back in three weeks off a very fast race, he's a quality horse. Like I said all week, the only thing I was worried about was not running him when he was doing this good. Yes, I think we all know what would be next off what he did today [the GI Met Mile]. As long as he's telling us he was as ready as he was today, we will gladly be there.”
Donning cap and gown by 10 lengths at third asking at Oaklawn last February, Mitole was second in the Gazebo S. last February prior to an open-length optional claimer score in March 2018. A dominant nine-length winner of Oaklawn's Bachelor S. last April, he defeated next-out GII Woody Stephens S. upsetter Still Having Fun (Old Fashioned) in a sloppy renewal of Pimlico's Chick Lang S. last May.
Sidelined following that effort, Mitole made a victorious return to the races Mar. 2 at Oaklawn, winning an optional claimer by 4 1/4 lengths off a 10-month layoff. The 4-year-old entered this test off a 2 3/4-length defeat of re-opposing Grade I winner Whitmore (Pleasantly Perfect) in the Apr. 13 GIII Count Fleet Sprint H. over a sloppy six panels in Hot Springs.
Pedigree Notes:
Mitole is the second Grade I winner for his sire Eskendereya, following GI Met Mile and GI Los Alamitos Futurity S. victor Mor Spirit. They are also two of the four graded winners for their sire with the others being of the fairer sex, Eskenformoney and Isabella Sings. The late Edward Cox, Jr., bred and raced Mitole's dam Indian Miss, who never found the winner's circle. The bay colt is her second foal and she has since produced the unraced 3-year-old Tipperary Jack (Violence), a juvenile filly by Creative Cause and a yearling filly by Oxbow. WinStar purchased the half-sister to GSW Live Lively (Medaglia d'Oro) for $240,000 carrying a foal by Into Mischief at the 2018 Keeneland November Sale as part of the Cox dispersal. The 10-year-old mare has yet to produce that foal, according to the Jockey Club records.
Saturday, Churchill Downs
CHURCHILL DOWNS S. PRESENTED BY TWINSPIRES.COM-GI, $500,000, Churchill Downs, 5-4, 4yo/up, 7f, 1:21.21, ft.
1–MITOLE, 118, c, 4, by Eskendereya
1st Dam: Indian Miss, by Indian Charlie
2nd Dam: Glacken's Gal, by Smoke Glacken
3rd Dam: Lady Diplomat, by Silver Deputy
1ST GRADE I WIN. ($20,000 Ylg '16 KEESEP; $140,000 2yo '17
OBSAPR). O-William and Corinne Heiligbrodt; B-Edward A. Cox
(KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen; J-Ricardo Santana, Jr. $291,400.
Lifetime Record: 10-7-2-1, $992,910. Werk Nick Rating: A.
Click for eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Bobby's Wicked One, 118, c, 4, Speightstown–Wicked
Charm, by Ghostzapper. ($130,000 Ylg '16 KEESEP). O-Autumn
Hill Farms Racing Stables, Inc.; B-Ramona S. Bass, LLC (KY);
T-Albert M. Stall, Jr. $94,000.
3–Promises Fulfilled, 120, c, 4, Shackleford–Marquee Delivery,
by Marquetry. ($37,000 Ylg '16 KEESEP). O-Robert J. Baron;
B-David Jacobs (KY); T-Dale L. Romans. $47,000.
Margins: 3HF, HF, 1HF. Odds: 2.20, 7.70, 5.80.
Also Ran: Do Share, Whitmore, Warrior's Club, Majestic Dunhill, Still Having Fun, Uncontested, Uno Mas Modelo, Wild Shot. Scratched: Limousine Liberal. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
