Oaklawn Park racegoers thought they witnessed something special when Mitole, a 3-year-old colt, won three races during the track's 55-day 2018 meeting. Turns out he was just getting started.
Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen and longtime clients Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt watched the Eskendereya colt power to a 6 1/4-length victory in the $200,000 Chick Lang Stakes on Saturday at Pimlico Race Course.
Hours before he saddled two-time Oaklawn winner Tenfold in the 143rd Preakness, Asmussen reveled in Mitole's second-straight stakes victory. The colt came off a nine-length triumph in Oaklawn's April 12 Bachelor, in which horses confronted a stiff headwind in the stretch yet Mitole went six furlongs in 1:08.41.
Running over a sloppy track Saturday, Mitole blistered the opening quarter mile in 21.67 seconds and led through a half-mile in 45.93. With Ricardo Santana Jr. aboard, Mitole went six furlongs in 1:09.29, rewarding those who made him 2-5 favorite.
"He's fast. Wow, he's a special horse," said Asmussen. "His confidence level has gotten better, just the way he comes into a race and acts during it has been spectacular the past two or three races."
Asmussen said he is "hoping for" the Grade 2 Woody Stephens June 9 on the Belmont Stakes undercard as Mitole's next start. The colt broke his maiden by 10 lengths Feb. 3 at Oaklawn going six furlongs in 1:09.75. The Heiligbrodts, from Houston, also own Mia Mischief, an Asmussen-trained 3-year-old filly with stakes wins at Oaklawn and Churchill Downs.
The Asmussen-Santana connection scored again Saturday with two-time Oaklawn winner Switzerland in the Grade 3 $150,000 Maryland Sprint Stakes. He clocked six furlongs in 1:09.43, his winning margin 3 1/2 lengths over favored Long Haul Bay, and paid $7.80 for a $2 ticket.
The Speightstown 4-year-old, formerly trained by Chad Brown, has won four in a row. Owned by Woodford Racing LLC, Switzerland won at Oaklawn as a short-priced favorite March 30 and April 14, his first two starts for Asmussen.
Sports on 05/20/2018