Mitole Stretches Out to Take Loaded Edition of Met Mile
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Photo: Anne M. Eberhardt
Mitole (outside) holds off McKinzie and Thunder Snow to win the Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park
The connections of Mitole keep presenting their colt with increasingly difficult assignments, and their splendid sprinter keeps proving up to the challenge.
Stretching out to a mile for the first time and facing an especially talent-laden field in this year's edition of the $1.2 million Runhappy Metropolitan Handicap (G1), Mitole stalked early, then held off late charges from a pair of multiple grade/group 1 winners to post a three-quarter-length victory over favored McKinzie, with Thunder Snow third.
Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt's Mitole, a 4-year-old Eskendereya colt, completed the one-turn mile for 3-year-olds and older in 1:32.75 on a fast track, about half a second off Najran's track record of 1:32.24.
"This is the culmination of owning horses for 30 years," said Bill Heiligbrodt. "I believe he can run any distance. You saw it today. There are no issues with him. It's just that when a horse can run as fast as him, you have to keep him together. You don't want to put that much stress on him."
Bill Heiligbrodt credited Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen for bringing Mitole along, despite some physical issues. The Met Mile marked his seventh consecutive win in a stretch that included the six-furlong Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (G3) in April and the seven-furlong Churchill Downs Stakes Presented by Twinspires.com (G1), his first top-level score.
"No one could have trained this horse, with his pasterns, other than Steve Asmussen," Bill Heiligbrodt said. "We've won more than 1,000 races together."
Mitole's regular rider, Ricardo Santana Jr., also delivered a top effort Saturday. Mitole and Santana stalked Coal Front early as the recent Godolphin Mile Sponsored by Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum City-District One (G2) winner cruised through a quarter-mile in :22.17. Just before a half-mile in :44.38, Santana and Mitole applied pressure on the frontrunner entering the long turn.
In a field featuring six grade/group 1 winners, Mitole edged to the lead through six furlongs in 1:08.24, then opened a clear advantage in the stretch, where he proved tough enough to hold sway over his accomplished pursuers.
"This is really a special horse," Santana said. "I can't explain how happy I am with this horse."
Second choice Mitole paid $9, $4.40, and $3.50, and McKinzie returned $3.30 and $2.70. Thunder Snow returned $3.70 to show in his first start since becoming the first two-time winner of the Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline (G1).
"I was scared to death to talk about him all week because I was so confident in him. I didn't want to anger the racing gods," Asmussen said. "This win with this horse is so special. I'm thrilled for the Heiligbrodts, who have so much to do with the success that we have had."
Asmussen and Santana also teamed to win the 2018 Met Mile with Bee Jersey .
"Winning back-to-back editions of the Met Mile, I can't even put into words what this means," Asmussen said. "Today is what we had targeted. We know what this race meant; what a tremendous field it had. For him to come out on top against this field today under the pressure that he had, he proved what we believed in him the whole time. We're just so fortunate to be associated with this horse."
The Met Mile is a Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win and You're In" race for the Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1).
Jimmy Barnes, assistant to Bob Baffert, said McKinzie ran into traffic trouble, but he congratulated the winner.
"(McKinzie) showed up and he ran well," Barnes said. "Credit to Steve Asmussen. His horse ran lights out, and ours did, too."
Bred in Kentucky by Edward Cox Jr., Mitole is out of the Indian Charlie mare Indian Miss. A half sister to grade 2 winner Live Lively, Indian Miss has produced three starters, all winners. Mitole most recently sold for $140,000 to East Hickman Bloodstock at the 2017 Ocala Breeders' Sales Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, where he was consigned by Grassroots Training and Sales.