Plan Comes Together for Ancient Rome in Mint Millions

News of the lucrative purses at Kentucky Downs has crossed oceans, much to the delight of the connections of Ancient Rome .

Campaigned by Fitri Hay and trained by Charlie Hills, Ancient Rome found the rolling hills of Kentucky Downs to his liking Sept. 2 as he took command in the stretch to emerge with a half-length victory in the $1,994,285 Mint Millions Stakes (G3T) in his first start in North America. As a Kentucky-bred, the 4-year-old son of War Front earned the entire $1,176,600 purse for his owner—well more than the $351,647 earned in his first nine starts combined.

Jockey Jamie Spencer, who guided Ancient Rome to a clear victory at odds of 33-1 in an Aug. 1 handicap at Goodwood that drew 15 starters, had enough confidence in the previous group 3 winner and twice group 1-placed runner to sign on for the trip to Kentucky. The victory Saturday marked Spencer's first win at Kentucky Downs, arriving in his ninth career start at the Franklin, Ky., course that he compared with Brighton and Bath in England.

After racing four- or five-wide in the turn of the one-mile turf race, Ancient Rome raced five deep in the stretch before finding one final gear in deep stretch to surge past Smokin' T , who would finish third, and Stitched , who held second. Ancient Rome completed the race in 1:33.37 on the firm turf.

"I think he went well over the ground today," Spencer said. "I think he's pretty adaptable on all types of ground. ... His back form is a lot in France and softer conditions and last time I was on soft, but he's a War Front and you guys know more about War Front than I do. They go on fast turf."

Spencer said he didn't want Ancient Rome to get stopped so he opted for the wide path in the turn to maintain momentum. He said the horse knuckled down in the final 200 meters to earn the win.

The successful push in the stretch completed a plan months in the making as Spencer said when the owner purchased Ancient Rome earlier this year, it was with this race in mind. That vision would come together Saturday as he improved to 2-for-2 for Hills with a significant boost in earnings Saturday compared with the equivalent of $126,528 earned in his previous effort.

"To be fair Dr. Hay (James Hay) picked this race out even before he purchased the horse," said Spencer, his right hand resting on a bottle of Blanton's Bourbon awarded to him in the winner's circle. "He's Kentucky-bred so it fit well."

Bred by Orpendale/Chelston/Wynatt, Ancient Rome is out of the group 3-winning Sadler's Wells mare Ganoa, who earned three group 1 placings including a runner-up finish in the Prix de Diane (French Oaks) and third-place finish in that year's Irish Oaks. Ancient Rome is a full brother to Etoile , a group 3 winner at 2 who has produced stakes winner No Nay Mets .