Mitole’s Booth puts up huge number in Whitmore S. (G3) win

Booth posted his second straight dominating stakes score with his victory in the $250,000 Whitmore S. (G3) March 15 at Oaklawn Park.

The 4-year-old Mitole colt romped by 2 ¼-lengths and earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 107, topping the 105 he earned last month over the same track in the Commodore S.

As he did in the Commodore, Booth shot straight to the lead on Saturday, setting fractions of :22.13 and :45.18. He was 2 ½-lengths clear turning for home, and maintained his margin down the stretch to stop the timer in 1:09.79 for the six furlongs on a fast track.

“Well, I think it’s like his daddy [Mitole] — with time, with time,” said winning trainer Steve Asmussen. “It’s his four-year-old year, which was when Mitole became Mitole. Those are two really impressive races against some very nice sprinters.”

Booth is owned William & Corinne Heiligbrodt, Jackpot Farm and Whispering Oaks Farm LLC. He has won five of nine starts and earned $476,191. The chestnut colt was bred in Kentucky by Clearsky Farms and sold to his owners for $225,000 at the 2023 OBS March 2-year-old sale.

Mitole is currently fourth on the Third-Crop sire list with nearly $1.5 million in progeny earnings. Now standing for $10,000 S&N, Mitole was the champion freshman sire of 2023 and third on the 2024 Second-Crop list.