Much-improved Mullikin rolls by 5 3/4 lengths in Forego
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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Mullikin showed glimpses of potential as a 3-year-old but was far from a finished product, winning just once from five starts. Given plenty of time off to mature and develop, Mullikin has come back a much more better racehorse at 4.
Saturday, at Saratoga, Mullikin became a Grade 1 winner, taking advantage of a sharp start and a track that favored front-running types to record a dominant 5 3/4-length victory in the Grade 1 $500,000 Forego Stakes. Gun Pilot, winner of the Grade 1 Churchill Downs in May, finished second, 2 1/2 lengths clear of Angkor in the seven-furlong race.
Cagliostro, who stumbled badly at the start, rallied to finish fourth. He was followed by Full Screen, Baby Yoda, and Twisted Ride. Run Classic was scratched.
The win was the fourth in as many starts this year for Mullikin, a son of Violence owned by Siena Farm and WinStar Farm and trained by Rodolphe Brisset, who won his first Grade 1 since going out on his own in 2017 after working several years for Bill Mott. Brisset had been 0 for 27 in Grade 1 stakes.
“Finally, that’s the right word, but the job is half done, I have to go saddle another one,” said Brisset, who saddled World Record to a sixth-place finish in the Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens in the next race. “Doing it here, after all those years with Mr. Mott is fun.”
Looking at the field of the Forego, Brisset thought Mullikin would be on the lead. Jockey Flavien Prat wasn’t so sure.
But Mullikin broke so sharp that he had a half-length on the field in two jumps. Angkor stalked Mullikin through a quarter in 22.46 seconds and a half-mile in 44.88 seconds. Angkor couldn’t keep up and Millikin opened up under just a vigorous hand ride from Prat.
“I told Flavien on paper I thought he was going to be on the lead,” Brisset said. “Flavien was surprised when I say that. If he breaks clean I didn’t think anybody would really want to come with him. After that, everything went pretty smooth.”
Mullikin was awarded a Beyer Speed Figure of 105. He was timed in 1:21.75 and returned $5.30.
“He matured very good from 3 to 4, he looks like a proper racehorse now, he’s not a teenager now,” Brisset said. “He showed it on the track.”
Prat had ridden the horse in his first start of the year - an allowance win at Keeneland - and then again in the Grade 3 Dwyer Stakes. He noted how the horse keeps improving.
“I thought last time was good, but today was something else,” Prat said. He’s got a great attitude. It seems like he’s enjoying himself and it’s going in the right direction.”
Brisset said he is not sure which direction Mullikin will be headed next. Because the horse is apt to have some issues at the gate, Brisset is not sure whether to cut him back to six furlongs for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint.
“Do I want to try a mile? I’ll let you know later on,” Brisset said.
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