B. Wayne Hughes's Spendthrift Farm has acquired the breeding rights to Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt's multiple Grade I-winning sprinter Mitole (Eskendereya–Indian Miss, by Indian Charlie). While Mitole's fee will be subject to change pending future race results, the farm is offering breeders the opportunity to lock in at a fee of $20,000 S&N for 2020.
“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 Spendthrift general manager Ned Toffey. “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.”
Toffey continued, “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.”
Campaigned by the Heiligbrodts and trained by Steve Asmussen, Mitole won this year's GI Churchill Downs S. and GI Runhappy Metroplitan H. He set a new stakes record while winning Saturday's GI Forego S. On the board in all 13 of his starts to date, the 4-year-old has won nine times and earned $2,004,910.
“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.
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