Mitole Sets Forego Stakes Record
Image:
Description:
Photo: Anne M. Eberhardt
Mitole runs away from the competition in the Forego Stakes at Saratoga Race Course
Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt's Mitole returned to the winner's circle in a big way Aug. 24 with a stellar score in the $576,950 Forego Stakes Presented by Encore Boston Harbor (G1) at Saratoga Race Course.
The 4-year-old son of Eskendereya, widely considered the best sprinter in the land this spring, entered Saturday's race off a third-place finish in the July 27 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap (G1) at the Spa. He completed the seven furlongs in 1:20.80, just two-fifths of a second off the track record set by Darby Creek Road in August 1978.
The time does set a stakes record, surpassing the one held by A. P. Indian (1:20.99).
"That's the caliber horse he is," winning trainer Steve Asmussen said. "It's great to see him back at the top of his game."
Mitole, the odds-on favorite who battled with 3-2 second choice Promises Fulfilled early, drew off to defeat Firenze Fire by three lengths. It was three-quarters of a length back to Killybegs Captain in third. Air Strike was fourth and Bon Raison fifth. Promises Fulfilled finished last.
With Ricardo Santana Jr. up, Mitole broke sharpest of his five rivals and was quickly joined to the inside by Promises Fulfilled. The opening quarter-mile was a tepid :23.05, but the pace quickened as the second quarter went in :22.53 (:45.58).
"Today he broke sharp and put himself in a position where he wanted to be," Santana said. "He's a really nice horse to ride, and he does everything right. We went slow the first couple of quarters, and my horse was comfortable in the position he was in."
Promises Fulfilled uncharacteristically began to fade on the turn under Luis Saez as Mitole turned for home and opened up daylight on Killybegs Captain and Firenze Fire. As Mitole clicked off six furlongs in 1:08.91, he was as good as gone.
The winner paid $3.80, $2.80, and $2.10. Firenze Fire paid $4.10 and $3.10, and Killybegs Captain returned $6. The $1 exacta of 3-6 paid $8.70.
The win pushed Mitole's record to 9-2-2 from 13 starts, and he crossed the $2 million marker in earnings with $2,004,910. For the year, he's won five times from six starts, with the lone blemish coming in the Vanderbilt where he was on the inside and faded in the lane to finish 7 1/2 lengths behind speedster Imperial Hint.
"I think the circumstances for the Vanderbilt just didn't suit him—coming off a huge run in the Met Mile and cutting back to three-quarters," Asmussen said. "But he came out of the race in good shape, trained beautifully for this, and the results speak for themselves.
"I think that this was very significant coming off the loss in the Vanderbilt," he said. "Obviously, we'll try to align ourselves for the Breeders' Cup."
His signature wins came this spring in the May 4 Churchill Downs Stakes Presented by Twinspires.com (G1) at seven furlongs and in the June 8 Runhappy Metropolitan Handicap (G1), the latter of which came at the expense of top older runner McKinzie.
Mitole was bred in Kentucky by Edward Cox Jr. out of the Indian Charlie mare Indian Miss. He has a 3-year-old Violence half brother named Tipperary Jack racing for Curtis & Tomkins in England and a Creative Cause half sister named Lucky Dime racing for Cox's estate and Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott. The mare also produced an Oxbow colt in 2018 and an Into Mischief filly May 26.
Through Eaton Sales, Mitole was sold to Chestnut Valley Farm for $20,000 at the 2016 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. The Heiligbrodts purchased him from Grassroots Training & Sales in the name of their East Hickman Bloodstock for $140,000 at the 2017 Ocala Breeders' Sales Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training.