Haatem turns back the clock in Mint Millions triumph
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Haatem, whose best days had come during 2024, shipped from England and won the Mint Millions on Monday at Kentucky Downs.
Haatem got a very good trip under jockey Jamie Spencer, who won two stakes races on the card. Haatem’s victory gave trainer Richard Hannon Jr. his first American winner with his 11th runner. Richard Hannon Sr. went 0 for 17 with the horses he sent from England to race here.
Haatem’s most recent success came in the listed Wolferton Stakes during the 2025 Royal Ascot meeting, and while he ran a somewhat improved race July 31 at Goodwood, his form this year was not going to make anyone sit up and take notice.
Nonetheless, Haatem bested nine American rivals, and while he wasn’t eligible for $1 million in supplemental purse money reserved for Kentucky-breds, the Ireland-bred Haatem had never earned nearly as much in a single race as the $573,000 in first-place money he took in for Wathnan Racing.
Spencer gave Haatem a textbook stalking pace from third as Giocoso and Quatrocento volleyed on a strong pace. Haatem attacked in midstretch, made the lead at about the furlong grounds, and came up a neck better than Lagynos, who’d been second in this race a year ago.
Lagynos, running on 11 days rest after a subpar showing on the opening day of this meet, finished a half-length ahead of Brilliant Berti, who earned third money but probably was best in the race. Jockey Brian Hernandez tried to squeeze between Gran Oriente and the rail about halfway through the one-mile Mint Millions, but he couldn’t get through and found himself in traffic the rest of the trip. Chasing the Crown kept Brilliant Berti from getting outside at the three-sixteenths pole, and Brilliant Berti had to steady a half-furlong out, switching to the rail and finishing fastest – but too late.
Formidable Man, the tepid 5-2 favorite, raced outside in the back third of the field and never made a move in a seventh-place finish, his first try over a non-standard American oval.
Haatem had made 19 starts in England, one in France, and one in Ireland before Hannon cleverly sent him on this long journey. Haatem was a good 2-year-old in 2023 and had a strong sophomore campaign, finishing third in the 2000 Guineas and a close second in the Irish 2000 Guineas before failing to progress much at age 4.
Haatem paid $54.60 on a $5 wager at just less than 10-1 while clocking 1:34.32 over firm turf. The horse is by Phoenix of Spain out of Hard Walnut, by Cape Cross, and on Monday at Kentucky Downs, he proved a little too much for the Americans.
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