Olympiad sets track record in winning Mineshaft

NEW ORLEANS – Olympiad delivered a gold-medal performance in the Grade 3, $250,000 Mineshaft Stakes on Saturday at Fair Grounds.

It was the first stakes win for Olympiad, but if all continues to go well with the lightly raced 4-year-old, surely not the last.

Yes, Olympiad ($4) got a perfect trip pressing the modest pace set by Silver Prospector, but the horse himself – as well as trainer Bill Mott and jockey Junior Alvarado – deserves credit for being able to get that trip. Undertaking a long-distance ship for the first time in his seven-start career, Olympiad strolled calmy around the Fair Grounds paddock after being saddled like he’d been here his whole life. He broke sweetly under Alvarado but had no issue when his rider took a light rating hold to allow Silver Prospector to set the pace and provide a target. When Alvarado asked his mount to pick up the pace past the three-furlong marker, Olympiad immediately responded, and when winning time came, Olympiad put away Silver Prospector and drew away to a 2 1/4-length victory.

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“He’s a dream horse,” said Alvarado. “He’s the kind of horse you want when you’re pointing to these big races. He’s kind of quick out of there, gets in the bridle, but he’s waiting to see what you want him to do. . . . He has a beautiful, nice turn of foot.”

Off even fractions of 24.18, 48.11, 1:12.48, and 1:35.98, Olympiad clocked 1:42.01, the fastest 1 1/16-mile dirt race ever run at Fair Grounds. Pie In Your Eye’s track standard of 1:42.01 had stood since 1994. The surface, at least in routes, played quick on Saturday, but considering the moderate tempo, the final clocking was impressive.

Silver Prospector was second best by one length over Miles D, who loomed three paths wide at the five-sixteenths pole making his first start since December and could improve in his next race. Late-running O Besos, hurt by the lack of pace, finished well to just miss third.

Olympiad, by Speightstown out of Tokyo Time, by Medaglia d’Oro, was racing two turns for only the second time. The colt ran twice as a 2-year-old, winning a Saratoga maiden race, but didn’t start again until nearly a year later. Following a Keeneland first-level allowance victory in October, Mott, who wasn’t at Fair Grounds on Saturday, tried Olympiad in the Grade 1 Cigar Mile, where Olympiad had a strange trip, appearing to fade out of contention starting at the three-furlong marker, only to find stride again late and finish fourth, galloping out in front.

A Jan. 15 allowance-race blowout at Gulfstream, Olympiad’s first true route start, gave Mott the confidence to try the Mineshaft, and a fast time accomplished easily at Fair Grounds ought to give Olympiad’s connections, Mott and owners Grandview Equine, Cheyenne Stables and LNJ Foxwoods, reason to try a 1 1/8-mile race like the New Orleans Classic here next month.

“A mile and an eighth will be no problem. We’ve been waiting for that,” said Alvarado. “He galloped out with his ears pricked and came back not even blowing.”

Gold medal. Track record. Very, very nice horse, that Olympiad.