By Steve Sherack
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – A frustrating runner-up in last year's GI Belmont Stakes and GI NYRA Bets Haskell S., 'TDN Rising Star' Mindframe (Constitution) put it all together for a much-deserved first Grade I victory in a heart-stopping and completely stacked renewal of the GI Churchill Downs S. on the Kentucky Derby undercard.
Favored 'TDN Rising Star' Nysos (Nyquist), making his first start for Bob Baffert since running his record to three-for-three in the GIII Robert B. Lewis Stakes some 15 months ago, dead-heated for second with the David Jacobson-trained, co-owned and very in-form Banishing (Ghostzapper), a last-out second in the GII Oaklawn H. Apr. 19. It was another head back to GISW Book'em Danno (Bucchero) in fourth.
Cutting back a furlong off his comebacking victory in the GII Gulfstream Park Mile S. Mar. 1, the Repole Stable and St. Elias Stables colorbearer, off at odds of 7-2, was eighth beneath Irad Ortiz, Jr. as a four-way battle for the lead ensued, led by 17-1 Giant Mischief (Into Mischief), who was hounded through fractions of :22.56 and :45.12. Mindframe began to wind up on the far turn, took the overland route at the top of the stretch and came storming down the center of the saturated Churchill Downs surface to just get there by a neck in a blanket finish in a race that didn't deserve a loser.
“My horse was so game today,” Ortiz, Jr. said. “He had so many horses to the inside of him that he just had to keep fighting the entire way to the wire. He does not want to lose and kept finding more the more challenges he got.”
Winning Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher added, “I told Irad just to ride with confidence and it looks like he did exactly that. He's such a versatile horse. From just missing last year in the Belmont and now winning a Grade I going seven-eighths. It just shows how special of a horse he is.”
Pedigree Notes:
The Maryland-bred Mindframe, a $600,000 KEESEP yearling, becomes the 12th Grade/Group 1 winner worldwide for Constitution. Broodmare sire Street Sense, also responsible for Friday's GI Kentucky Oaks heroine Good Cheer (Medaglia d'Oro), is now responsible for three winners at the top level.
The stakes-winning, third-generation homebred for the late Larry Johnson Walk of Stars has also produced the unraced 3-year-old colt Lonesome Road (Maclean's Music) and a Jack Christopher colt of 2024.
More on the family, including Johnson's journey with Mindframe's fourth dam, was covered in these same pages in 2024.
What a finish in the G1 Churchill Downs Stakes presented by Ford 🤩
Mindframe comes out on top in a blanket finish. Irad Ortiz, Jr. up for trainer Todd Pletcher and owners Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable. pic.twitter.com/xiTL1axb2T
— Churchill Downs (@ChurchillDowns) May 3, 2025
Saturday, Churchill Downs
CHURCHILL DOWNS S. PRESENTED BY FORD-GI, $935,000, Churchill Downs, 5-3, 4yo/up, 7f, 1:22.64, sy.
1–MINDFRAME, 123, c, 4, by Constitution
1st Dam: Walk of Stars (SW, $154,944), by Street Sense
2nd Dam: Star Kell, by Star de Naskra
3rd Dam: Special Kell, by Parfaitement
1ST GRADE I WIN. ($600,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP). 'TDN Rising Star'. O-Repole Stable and St. Elias Stables LLC; B-R. Larry Johnson (MD); T-Todd A. Pletcher; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr.. $524,520. Lifetime Record: 6-4-2-0, $1,292,160. *1/2 to Hollywood Walk (Animal Kingdom), MSP, $368,731. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
(DH)-2–Banishing, 123, g, 5, Ghostzapper–Dowager, by A.P. Indy. 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($80,000 4yo '24 FTKHRA). O-Lawrence P. Roman and David Jacobson; B-Godolphin (KY); T-David Jacobson. $141,900.
(DH)-2–Nysos, 123, c, 4, Nyquist–Zetta Z, by Bernardini. 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($130,000 Wlg '21 KEENOV; $150,000 Ylg '22 FTKOCT; $550,000 2yo '23 OBSAPR). 'TDN Rising Star'. O-Baoma Corp; B-Atkins Susie (KY); T-Bob Baffert. $141,900.
Margins: NK, HD, HD. Odds: 3.54, 6.54, 1.66.
Also Ran: Book'em Danno, Mullikin, Just Steel, Tejano Twist, Hoist the Gold, Giant Mischief, Extra Anejo, Here Mi Song.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
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