Mitole just keeps rolling with Churchill Downs Stakes victory

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – As brilliant as Mitole had been in reeling off five consecutive victories dating back 50 weeks, there were reasons to be skeptical of him entering Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Churchill Downs Stakes.

He was trying a new track and a new distance. He was facing the best field he had met to date. Lastly, he was coming back just three weeks after running the fastest race of his career in the slop.

Was trainer Steve Asmussen worried?

“The only thing I’m worried about is not running him when he’s doing this good,” Asmussen said.

Mitole may have never been better. Sitting just off the early speed of Bobby’s Wicked One and Promises Fulfilled, Mitole, under Ricardo Santana Jr., ran by Bobby’s Wicked One above the sixteenth pole and drew off to a convincing 3 1/2-length victory in the Churchill Downs.

Bobby’s Wicked One, having won his last three starts, finished second by a half-length over the Grade 1 winner Promises Fulfilled.

The win was the sixth straight for Mitole and the seventh from 10 career starts for the 4-year-old son of Eskendereya owned by William and Corinne Heiligbrodt.

“He’s for real,” said Asmussen, who won his second Grade 1 on the card and his third in two days. “Everybody has always been beaming about his potential; he met his potential today and is now a Grade 1 winner.”

In his previous starts, Mitole had just been faster than the competition, typically going to the front and never looking back.

On Saturday, Mitole sat in third while Bobby’s Wicked One ran a quarter in 22.38 seconds and a half-mile in 44.71 while pressed by Promises Fulfilled.

Around the turn, Mitole was basically on even terms. Turning for home, Bobby’s Wicked One cut the corner, while Promises Fulfilled floated Mitole out a little wide. Mitole continued on, collaring Bobby’s Wicked One above the sixteenth pole and widening his margin late.

Mitole covered the seven furlongs in 1:21.21 and returned $6.40 as the first favorite to win on the card through eight races.

“We have a lot of confidence in him, and thank God the race went like I wanted it to,” said Santana, who rode each one of Asmussen’s Grade 1 winners. “I sat patient and waited as long as I could with him, and when I asked him, he gave me a really nice run.”

Asmussen said Mitole, provided he’s doing well in five weeks, would make his next start in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park. Asmussen and Santana teamed to win that race last year with Bee Jersey.

The disappointment of the Churchill Downs was Whitmore, who looked to be getting a good trip but finished fifth, 6 1/4 lengths back.

“I think I had the perfect trip,” jockey Javier Castellano said. “I was right behind horses and everything. But I didn’t have the horse. The horse came up empty; he didn’t finish at all.”