William & Corrine Heiligbrodt’s Mitole sat just off the lead in Saturday’s $500,000 Churchill Downs Stakes (G1) on the Derby undercard, took command in the final furlong and drew away late to a 3-1/2 length victory. It’s the sixth straight win for the 4-year-old colt by Eskendereya, purchased for $140,000 out of the Grassroots Training & Sales consignment at the 2017 OBS April Sale after an Under Tack eighth in :10 flat. Now 10-7-2-1 for trainer Steve Asmussen, he has earned $992,910 to date. watch his under tack video
Alex and JoAnn Lieblong’s Laughing Fox relaxed well off the pace in the $300,000 Oaklawn Invitational Stakes on Saturday, came around horses to reach contention in the stretch and was up in the final yards to win by a neck. Fellow OBS graduate Proverb (April ’18) checked in third. It’s the first stakes victory for the 3-year-old colt by Union Rags, also trained by Steve Asmussen, now 7-3-0-0 with $338,518 in earnings. He was purchased for $375,000 by the Lieblongs from Harris Training Center LLC, Agent, at the 2018 OBS March Sale after an eighth in :10 2/5 at the Under Tack Show. watch his under tack video
William Stiritz’s Wildwood’s Beauty led a 1-2-3 OBS sweep of the $100,000 FTBOA Ivanavinalot Florida Sire Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs on Saturday, taking charge on the turn and drawing away in the lane to a 3-3/4 length victory over Jolie Bay (October ’17), with Starship Nala (January ’17) half a length back in third. It’s the second straight stakes win for the 3-year-old Florida-bred daughter of Kantharos, consigned by Summerfield (Francis & Barbara Vanlangendonck), Agent, to the 2017 October Yearling Sale, and purchased by Mr. Stiritz for $47,000. Now 6-3-3-0 for trainer Scott Becker, she has earned $194,340.
David Melin, Leon Ellman and Laurie Plesa’s Vow Me Now found room between horses in the stretch of Saturday’s $75,000 English Channel Stakes at Gulfstream Park, battled fellow OBS graduate Art G is Back (April ’18) to the wire and was best by a nose. Stirling Drive (April ’18) was third, completing the OBS trifecta. It’s the fourth straight win and first stakes score for the 3-year-old colt by Broken Vow, who went through the ring at the 2018 March Sale before he was purchased for $50,000 out of the Halcyon Hammock Farm consignment at the 2018 OBS June Sale after breezing three eighths in :32 4/5 at the Under Tack Show. Trained by Eddie Plesa, Jr., he’s now 10-5-0-1 and has earned $138,508. watch his under tack video