Speedy Mitole may lead way in six-horse Gazebo Stakes

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – The 96 Beyer Speed Figure that Mitole earned winning a maiden special weight earlier this month jumps off the page in the $125,000 Gazebo on Saturday at Oaklawn.

“I think it’s obvious how fast he is,” said Steve Asmussen, who trains the 3-year-old for Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt.

Mitole covered six furlongs in 1:09.75 when he won his maiden by 10 lengths Feb. 3 at Oaklawn. One race earlier on the card, older sprinters were featured in the $125,000 King Cotton and winner Wilbo covered the same distance in 1:09.85.

The Gazebo, for 3-year-olds, also will be run at six furlongs. It is one of two stakes on the card. The $100,000 Downthedustyroad drew Easter Indy, who is attempting to win the Arkansas-bred stakes for fillies and mares for the third consecutive year.

Mitole is part of a six-horse field that also includes Direct Dial, winner of a $65,000 division of the Texas Stallion Stakes in November at Retama Park, and Wild Caramelo, who covered six furlongs in 1:09.88 when he won his career debut in a maiden special weight Sept. 16 at Remington Park.

Mitole will break from post 3 under Ricardo Santana Jr., and he could either set the pace like he did when he won his maiden, or he could track Direct Dial. The Gazebo will be the fourth career start for Mitole, a son of Eskendereya who in January was beaten a half-length in a maiden race won by the Sunland Derby-bound Transgress.

Easter Indy will have a fresh new face to contend with in this year’s Downthedustyroad, which will be run over six furlongs. Ministry could go favored after she defeated Easter Indy in a Jan. 21 allowance at Oaklawn. Ministry won by 2 3/4 lengths. The Beyer of 71 that she earned is the best lastrace number in the Downthedustyroad.

“We were well-pleased with the race,” said Ministry’s owner, Dr. Linda Robbins. “It was her first race in eight months.”

Ministry, who is trained by Jaime Gonzalez, was given time off following a 3-year-old campaign highlighted by a win in the $100,000 Rainbow Miss at Oaklawn and a thirdplace finish in an optional $75,000 claiming sprint May 5 at Churchill Downs.

“We were real pleased with what she did in open company, on a sloppy track and from the one-hole,” Robbins said. “We gave her two months here at the farm after she got back from Churchill.”

Ministry is the current leading earner for her sire, Ordained, a son of Pulpit who stands at the Starfish Stallions operation that Robbins has in Hot Springs, Ark. Ministry’s dam, Heated Debate, is expecting a foal by Tapiture.

“She’s due to foal any minute,” Robbins said Thursday.

Tommy Pompell has the mount on Ministry, who will break from post 7 in the 10-horse field Saturday.

Easter Indy, who is coming off a fifth-place finish in the allowance won by Ministry, will break from the rail under Terry Thompson.