Mitole Records First Graded Stakes Win in Count Fleet
Image:
Description:
Photo: Coady Photography
Mitole wins the Count Fleet Sprint Handicap at Oaklawn Park
The graded stakes debut of William and Corrine Heiligbrodt's brilliant sprinter Mitole turned out to be a splashing success as the 4-year-old son of Eskendereya fended off an early challenge from the grade 1-winning Whitmore and drew clear in the stretch to post a 2 3/4-length victory in the $500,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (G3) April 13 at Oaklawn Park.
In a field of just five racing over a sloppy (sealed) racetrack, Whitmore had to forgo his late-running style and pressed the frontrunning Mitole from the break. The 6-year-old gelding drew alongside Mitole midway on the turn, but in the stretch, after comfortable fractions of 22:49 and 45.54, Mitole had little trouble kicking clear and registering his fifth straight win for trainer Steve Asmussen.
"It's a very significant win. It's his first graded stakes win. He has an elite level of talent, and hopefully he holds together and he has many wins ahead of him," Asmussen said.
Getting Mitole to the races figures to be the major challenge facing Asmussen because the Kentucky-bred colt has the kind of speed that puts him among the division's best sprinters. Mitole has won his last five starts by a combined 29 1/4 lengths. Saturday's race was just his second start since May 19.
Jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. has been the regular rider for both Mitole ($2.80) and Whitmore, a $2.57 million earner, and clearly made the right choice in siding with the 2-5 favorite.
"We feel he has a lot of talent, and today he improved a lot," Santana said.
Final time for the six furlongs was 1:09.36. Mitole won for the fifth time in seven starts at Oaklawn Park and improved his career record to six wins in nine starts, with earnings of $701,510.
Whitmore, the 8-5 second choice owned by Southern Springs Stables, Robert LaPenta, and Head of Plains Partners, was seven lengths clear of Bourbon Cowboy in third. Operation Stevie was fourth.
The Mitole-Whitmore exacta returned $3.60 for a $2 bet.
"Today was their day," said Ron Moquett, who trains and owns a share of Whitmore. "The short field, lone speed, that's not (Whitmore's) deal. Twenty-two and change opening quarter. I'm proud of my horse."
Bred by Edward Cox Jr. out of the Indian Charlie mare Indian Miss, Mitole was bought by East Hickman Bloodstock for $140,000 at the 2017 Ocala Breeders' Sales Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training after selling for $20,000 to Chestnut Valley Farm at the 2016 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.