By Joe Bianca
There was little doubt as to the talent level of Bill and Corrine Heiligbrodt's Mitole (Eskendereya) last year, when he was blitzing through nearly every sprinter that dared challenge him at his home base of Oaklawn. The questions that lingered, if any, were about the colt's ability to stretch out his speed and replicate his stellar performances against top competition. He answered both of those, emphatically, in back-to-back Grade I victories this spring, and he'll look to make it three top-level tallies in a row as a heavy favorite from the rail draw in Saturday's GI Alfred G. Vanderbilt H. at Saratoga.
Announcing himself with a 10-length maiden romp last February in Hot Springs, Mitole suffered his most recent defeat when second in the Gazebo S. there one start later. Back on track with a seven-length allowance/optional claiming triumph, he cruised by nine lengths in the Bachelor S., then 6 1/4 lengths in the Chick Lang S. at Pimlico before a splint injury sidelined the bay for the remainder of his sophomore campaign.
Returning off an over 10-month break with another facile allowance/optional claiming success Mar. 2 at Oaklawn, he repeated in the GIII Count Fleet Sprint H. Apr. 13. Then came the acid test, in the GI Churchill Downs S. May 4, where Mitole passed with flying colors, sitting off the speed and drawing clear to a 3 1/2-length score. Sent a route of ground for the first time in the star-studded GI Metropolitan H., he was brilliant once more, dueling on a sizzling pace and holding sway late to best MGISW 'TDN Rising Star' McKinzie (Street Sense) by three-quarters of a length.
His main rival is defending Vanderbilt champion Imperial Hint (Imperialism), who looks to get back on track after three straight losses, an uncharacteristic interruption of form for the 12-time winner. Carrying a five-race win streak into the 2017 GI Breeders' Cup Sprint, he was a good second to champion Roy H (More Than Ready) and promptly won four of five to start his 5-year-old campaign. Unable to match Roy H again, however, when third in last fall's renewal of the Sprint, he filled the same slot at 1-5 in the Pelican S. Feb. 16 at Tampa and once again rounded out the trifecta in the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen last out Mar. 30.
Mr. Amore Stable's Firenze Fire (Poseidon's Warrior) stands a chance if the pace heats up. Upset winner of the GIII Sanford S. here two summers ago, he was a good third despite a wide journey in the GI H. Allen Jerkens S. over this track last August and annexed the GIII Gallant Bob S. after that. Capturing the Runhappy S. in his second 4-year-old start May 11 at Belmont, the bay was no factor when fifth in the Met Mile last out.
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