Mullikin holds off Coastal Mission in John Nerud Stakes

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Mullikin continued his ascension in the older male dirt sprint division with a 1 1/2-length victory in Saturday’s Grade 2, $200,000 John Nerud Stakes at Aqueduct.

Sitting a stalking second behind Prevalence under Flavien Prat, Mullikin stuck his head in front at the five-sixteenths pole, opened up little more than a length lead in the stretch and held Coastal Mission at bay through the lane. Coastal Mission finished 2 1/4 lengths clear of Ninetyprcentmaddie, who was 5 3/4 lengths clear of Everso Mischievous. Prevalence faded to last.

It was the third straight victory - first in a stakes - for Mullikin, a 4-year-old son of Violence owned by WinStar Farm and Siena Farm and trained by Rodolphe Brisset.

Mullikin has been a little difficult in the gate throughout his career. When he gets in there, he ducks his head down like he wants to go underneath the gate. But he quickly picks his head back up and is ready to go.

“We did find out that sitting back and leaving him alone has been working,” Brisset said.

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Saturday, Mullikin did duck down when he loaded but he was standing proper when the gate doors opened and he actually broke on top. Prat was content to let Prevalence have the lead and stalked that horse through a half-mile in 44.87 seconds.

Prat said he made his move to the lead earlier than he wanted because he felt pressure coming from the outside from Coastal Mission.

“I didn’t want to move so early but [Coastal Mission] was there and I felt like he was going well,” Prat said. “I got him running from that point and he just held on. He has a very high cruising speed and he was game down the lane. Rodolphe did a great job to bring him to that point and the horse has improved race after race.”

Arnaldo Bocachica on Coastal Mission thought turning for home he had a good shot to win.

“I had a perfect trip, he’s taken me there easy,” Bocachica said. “When I asked him, he responded, he just couldn’t get by.”

Mullikin ran seven furlongs in 1:20.45 and returned $4.40 as the favorite. Brisset said Mullikin would return to his base at Keeneland to prepare for the Grade 1 Forego at Saratoga on Aug. 24.

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