Mitole Seeks Another Grade 1 in Forego

Despite having his seven-race win streak snapped, Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt's Mitole will again be the one to beat in the $600,000 Forego Stakes Presented by Encore Boston Harbor (G1) Aug. 24 at Saratoga Race Course.

Five others will face the dual grade 1 winner in the seven-furlong affair, including Robert Baron and WinStar Farm's Promises Fulfilled, who won over this course and distance last year in the H. Allen Jerkens Stakes Presented by Runhappy (G1).

Mitole wowed with a 3 1/2-length score May 4 in the Churchill Downs Stakes Presented by Twinspires.com (G1) going seven furlongs, then came out on top June 8 in a loaded Runhappy Metropolitan Handicap (G1) at Belmont Park. The Steve Asmussen trainee hit the gate at the start of the July 27 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap (G1), drew up into second, and finished third, 7 1/2 lengths behind Imperial Hint, who delivered a track-record performance of 1:07.92 for six furlongs that day.

Ricardo Santana Jr. retains the mount on the 4-year-old Eskendereya colt, the top weight at 124 pounds, from post 3.

Promises Fulfilled followed his Jerkens win last year with a victory against older horses in Keeneland's Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix Stakes (G2). He then ran in four straight grade/group 1 races, finishing fourth three times and third once. Trainer Dale Romans entered the 4-year-old son of Shackleford  in the July 6 John A. Nerud Stakes (G2) at Belmont Park, and Promises Fulfilled returned to his winning ways with a 4 1/2-length score, leading every step of the seven furlongs. 

"He's capable of it," Romans said of Promises Fulfilled stepping back up. "I got great respect for Mitole. He's been a great horse this year so we'll have to see how he bounces back, but I think we're moving forward. It should be a good race.

"He trains well everywhere. He doesn't have to take his racetrack with him. He's a good horse anywhere he goes. (The sprint division) is the strongest division in the country, not just with parity but with good horses."

Promises Fulfilled finished behind Mitole in both the Churchill Downs Stakes and Met Mile. The colt will break from post 1 under Luis Saez.

Madaket Stables, Slam Dunk Racing, and Michael Nentwig's Air Strike is in search of his first grade 1 win after finishing fourth in the July 27 Bing Crosby Stakes (G1) at Del Mar. The 4-year-old Street Sense  colt broke through one start earlier when he rallied to a head victory in the May 25 Triple Bend Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita Park.

Mr. Amore Stable's homebred Firenze Fire has won only one race in four starts this year, and it came in the May 11 Runhappy Stakes at Belmont. The 4-year-old Poseidon's Warrior  colt, who won the Champagne Stakes (G1) at 2 and was a nine-length winner of the Dwyer Stakes (G3) in his sophomore season, will try to rebound after running fifth and fourth, respectively, in the Met Mile and Vanderbilt.

Completing the field are Bon Raison, who won the restricted Tale of the Cat Stakes Aug. 9 at the Spa, and Killybegs Captain, who won Tampa Bay Downs' Pelican Stakes in February and last ran fourth behind Bon Raison.

Entries: Forego S. Presented by Encore Boston Harbor (G1)

Saratoga Race Course, Saturday, August 24, 2019, Race 5

• Grade I
• 7f
• Dirt
• $600,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 1:48 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Promises Fulfilled (KY)	Luis Saez	122	Dale L. Romans	5/2
2	2Air Strike (KY)	Joel Rosario	122	Philip D'Amato	15/1
3	3Mitole (KY)	Ricardo Santana, Jr.	124	Steven M. Asmussen	4/5
4	4Killybegs Captain (KY)	Eric Cancel	118	John P. Terranova II	15/1
5	5Bon Raison (KY)	Jose L. Ortiz	118	Carlos F. Martin	12/1
6	6Firenze Fire (FL)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	118	Jason Servis	7/2