Trying graded company for the first time in his career in a race named in honor of a fan-favorite at Oaklawn, 'TDN Rising Star' Booth (Mitole–Sophia's Song, by Bellamy Road) made every pole a winning one as he took home the GIII Whitmore Stakes on Saturday afternoon.
Earning a 'Rising Star' merit badge as a late juvenile at Keeneland in 2023, Booth claimed his first Listed black type when he won the Commodore Stakes in Hot Springs Feb. 24 and was given a career-best (and meet's highest) 105 Beyer for the effort when he clocked the meet's fastest six furlongs in 1:08.64.
The 5-2 choice here was sent hard out of the gate and he never looked back as he rolled along through :22.13 and :45.18 early splits. Given a breather on the bend, he was full of run down the lane, and the Asmussen-trainee won by 2 1/4 lengths over Giant Mischief (Into Mischief). GSW & GISP Tejano Twist (Practical Joke) rolled along from the back to claim third.
“He ran huge,” said winning rider Erik Asmussen. “He acted great, did everything right. We figured out what he likes to do.”
Trainer Steve Asmussen echoed similarities between the colt and his sire, “Well, I think it's like his daddy [Mitole]–with time, with time. It's his 4-year-old year, which was when Mitole became Mitole. Those are two really impressive races against some very nice sprinters.”
Pedigree Note:
Booth is the latest graded runner to fly the flag for his dam, SW Sophia's Song, behind GISW Bright Future (Curlin) and GSW & GISP Musical Mischief (Into Mischief). The aforementioned three are the dam's only offspring to make it to the races Stateside. She has an unnamed 3-year-old colt by Tiz the Law as well as a juvenile colt by Maxfield who was purchased for $800,000 at KEESEP last year by Repole Stable and Grandview Equine. Her most recent is a yearling colt by Jackie's Warrior who was born in Japan after the dam was purchased by Shadai Farm in 2023 for $1.35-million at FTKNOV.
Sophia's Song is a half-sibling to a fleet of black-type winners and producers, namely GSP Unbridled Beauty (Unbridled's Song) and the winning Denali Dreamscape (Corinthian). The former is the dam of MSW & GSP Meal Penalty (Tale of the Cat)–a leading sire in Peru–and the granddam of GISW Nutella Fella (Runhappy). The latter claims SW New Boss (Street Boss) and GSP Daydreaming Boy (Goldencents) to her credit. A full-sister to Unbridled Beauty produced GSW Ironstone (Mr Speaker).
This is the immediate female family of two-time champion sprinter MGISW Housebuster and his half-sister GSW & MGISP Quero Quero. The extended family claims SW & MGSP Arctic Arrogance (Frosted); champion male sprinter GISW & GSW-KSA Straight No Chaser (Speightster); and 2024 G1 Centenary Sprint Cup hero Victor the Winner (Toronado {Ire}) in Hong Kong.
Back-to-back wins for Booth, who wins the G3 Whitmore at Oaklawn Park! 🏆
Steve Asmussen trains. It's a hat trick for Erik Asmussen!
🎥 TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/f08Wij47LL
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) March 15, 2025
Saturday, Oaklawn Park
WHITMORE S.-GIII, $250,000, Oaklawn, 3-15, 4yo/up, 6f, 1:09.79, ft.
1–BOOTH, 124, c, 4, by Mitole
1st Dam: Sophia's Song (SW & GSP, $155,892),
by Bellamy Road
2nd Dam: Dreamscape, by Mt. Livermore
3rd Dam: Big Dreams, by Great Above
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($120,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP;
$225,000 2yo '23 OBSMAR). O-L. William Heiligbrodt,
Corinne Heiligbrodt, Jackpot Farm and Whispering Oaks
Farm LLC; B-Clearsky Farms (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen;
J-Erik Asmussen. $142,500. 'TDN Rising Star' Lifetime
Record: 9-5-0-0, $476,191. *1/2 to Musical Mischief (Into
Mischief), GSW & GISP, $519,276; 1/2 to Bright Future
(Curlin), GISW, $947,940. Werk Nick Rating: C+. Click for
the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or the free
Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Giant Mischief, 124, h, 5, Into Mischief–Vertical Oak, by
Giant Oak. ($475,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-Spendthrift Farm
LLC, Stonestreet Stables LLC, Steve Landers, Martin S.
Schwartz, Michael Dubb, Ten Strike Racing, James J. Bakke,
Titletown Racing Stables, Kueber Racing LLC, Big Easy Racing
Racing LLC, Winner Win Racing and Michael J. Caruso;
B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC (KY); T-Brad H.
Cox. 'TDN Rising Star' $47,500.
3–Tejano Twist, 124, g, 6, Practical Joke–Haley's Lolipop, by
Cuvee. O-JD Thoroughbreds LLC and Joey Keith Davis;
B-Tom Durant (KY); T-Chris A. Hartman. $23,750.
Margins: 2 1/4, 3HF, 1. Odds: 2.50, 2.80, 4.30.
Also Ran: Happy Is a Choice, Closethegame Sugar, Miles Ahead, Jaxon Traveler. Scratched: Durante, Glengarry.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
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