Spendthrift acquires breeding rights to three-time G1 winner Mitole
August 25, 2019
Mitole established a new stakes record in the Forego – his third G1 triumph in 2019 | NYRA photo
Wayne Hughes’ Spendthrift Farm has acquired the breeding rights to leading sprinter and miler Mitole, who earned his third Grade 1 win of 2019 in the form of a stakes-record performance in Saturday’s $600,000 Forego S. (G1) at Saratoga.
A winner also of this year’s prestigious Metropolitan H. (G1) at Belmont and Churchill Downs S. (G1) on Kentucky Derby day, Mitole is set to retire at the end of this year and enter stud in 2020 at the Lexington-based farm.
Spendthrift is offering breeders the opportunity to lock in at a fee of $20,000 S&N for 2020. Mitole’s fee will be subject to change pending future race results.
“The term ‘brilliance’ gets used a lot in this business but there aren’t many horses in recent history that have shown as much consistent brilliance as Mitole,” said Ned Toffey, Spendthrift general manager. “His Met Mile sticks in my head. That was both the field of the year and race of the year so far, and Mitole showed just how brilliantly fast and classy he is in that performance. On top of having rare ability, he’s an extremely good-looking animal.
“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to stand him, and I want to thank Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt, who we wish the best leading up to the Breeders’ Cup. We will offer Mitole on a limited basis at $20,000 stands and nurses for breeders who wish to lock in early to be a part of his first book in 2020,” Toffey added.
Campaigned by owners Bill & Corinne Heiligbrodt and trainer Steve Asmussen, Mitole asserted himself as one of the best horses in training with a seven-race win streak dating back to his 3-year-old campaign a year ago. After a breakout allowance win in 1:09 flat at Oaklawn, Mitole began a run of six wins where he earned triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures.
He ran away from his fellow 3-year-olds with wins in the Bachelor S. – by 9 lengths in 1:08.41 – at Oaklawn and Chick Lang S. – by 6 ¼ lengths in 1:09.29 – at Pimlico, earning 107 and 104 Beyers, respectively. In 2019, Mitole started his 4-year-old season with another dominant allowance win at Oaklawn, running 1:08.99 to crack the 1:09 mark for the second time in his career.
Bill Heiligbrodt on Mitole: “clearly our fastest horse ever” | NYRA photo
Mitole took aim at graded stakes company next, impressively capturing the Count Fleet Sprint H. (G3) at Oaklawn before back-to-back Grade 1 wins in the aforementioned Churchill Downs S. (G1) and Met Mile (G1). In the one-mile Met, he defeated Grade 1 winners McKinzie, Thunder Snow, Promises Fulfilled and Firenze Fire while stopping the timer in 1:32.75 and earning his second 108 Beyer.
On Saturday, Mitole drew off by three lengths and finished the seven-furlong race in 1:20.80 – establishing a new stakes record for Saratoga’s historic Forego. He earned a 105 Beyer to mark his seventh triple-digit Beyer in his last eight starts, and the win was his eighth from his last nine starts which have come at five different racetracks, from six furlongs to a mile.
“After 30-plus years in the business and over a thousand races won, I can say Mitole is clearly our fastest horse ever,” said Bill Heiligbrodt. “That was exhibited again on Saturday with his stakes-record performance in 1:20.80 in the Forego at Saratoga, where some of the fastest horses in the history of the sport have competed.”
Asmussen added: “Mitole has ability and an attitude that superlatives do not do justice.”
An earner of more than $2 million to date, Mitole is by Eskendereya who’s also the sire of 2017 Met Mile (G1) winner Mor Spirit – another Spendthrift stallion. Bred by Edward Cox Jr., Mitole hails from the Indian Charlie mare Indian Miss.
For more information about Mitole, please contact the Spendthrift Farm team of Des, Mark or Brian at 859-294-0030.