Mira Mission Upsets Canadian Turf Stakes

Mary Abeel Sullivan Revocable Trust's homebred Mira Mission , making his stakes debut, kept his perfect record on the Gulfstream Park grass intact by outdueling French import Mouillage  through the lane for a three-quarter-length victory March 5 in the $150,000 Canadian Turf Stakes (G3T).

Mira Mission ($18.80) won twice during last winter's championship meet for previous trainer Tom Bush and came into the 1 1/16-mile Canadian Turf off a half-length optional claiming allowance triumph Jan. 15 for trainer Ian Wilkes, who picked the 4-year-old gelding up three starts ago.

"I'm very fortunate," said Wilkes. "I got him from Tommy Bush. He developed the horse, and the horse came to me in great order, and I was able to reap the rewards. Because what Tommy did with him as a young horse, the horse just got better and better."

The son of Noble Mission  settled sixth in a field of seven under jockey Julien Leparoux as 10-1 shot Clear Vision , winner of the one-mile Tropical Turf Stajes (G3) Jan. 8, outran 1-5 favorite Never Surprised  for the early lead. Clear Vision went a quarter-mile in :23.76 and a half in :47.54 pressed to his outside by Never Surprised, who was exiting a runner-up finish Jan. 29 to Colonel Liam  in the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes Presented by Baccarat (G1T). Noble Indy  and Mouillage joined the chase midway around the turn as Mira Mission began to roll on the far outside, engaged Mouillage in mid-stretch before edging clear to finish in 1:41.43 on a turf course rated firm.

"It set up well," Leparoux said. "Before the race, looking at the paper, I didn't know what was going to happen really. I'm glad the favorite had some pressure early on. He didn't get an easy lead, so we could sit behind, relax, and make one run. He ran a big race. I thought he had a good chance, but the favorite looked hard to beat on paper. I'm very proud of him. He's getting better and better."

Mouillage, racing first time in the United States, was a clear second, while grade 3 winner English Bee  outfinished Noble Indy for third. 

Never Surprised checked in a lackluster fifth, showing neither his customary speed nor tenacity.

Wilkes said future plans will be determined for Mira Mission.

"First stakes race today, and I wanted to see how he shaped up, how he'd do," the trainer said. "He handled everything. He's getting better. He's improving. So I love that."

Mira Mission was bred in Kentucky out of the graded stakes-placed Dynaformer  mare Kazamira  and is her first graded winner. She has a 3-year-old English Channel  filly named Kazachan  that made one start last September for Bush, and an unraced 2-year-old Got Stormy  colt named Get Ahead Now. She was bred to The Factor   for 2022 after coming up barren last year.

Video: Canadian Turf S. (G3T)