Stakes placed in Ireland at 2, the Olympic Glory mare earned her first stakes win.
Mintd generated some coin for her owners and mutuel backers with a 12-1 upset over grade 1 winner Juliet Foxtrot in the $150,000 Old Forester Mint Julep Stakes (G3T) before a crowd of 19,634 at Churchill Downs June 12.
Utilizing her inside post position to save ground and secure position, jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. placed Mintd in fifth after the opening quarter-mile of the race in :23.90 set by longshot Flash n’ Dance . As the pace slowed to :48.60 for a half-mile, she moved into fourth, and when favored Juliet Foxtrot (GB) made her move after the leader with six-furlongs in 1:13.41, Mintd was in hot pursuit.
Following that rival, as pace-pressing Hendy Woods began to flatten out in the stretch after chasing the pace in third, Mintd initially failed to gain on Juliet Foxtrot before wearing her down in the final furlong to win by a half-length. The Brendan Walsh trainee, a 5-year-old daughter of Olympic Glory , raced 1 1/16 miles under the lights on a firm turf course in 1:43.92. She returned $27.20 for a $2 win wager.
“Brendan and his team were very confident in this filly today, which gave me a lot of confidence as well,” Santana said. “I tried to keep her close to the early pace, and we had a great trip.”
Juliet Foxtrot, off at 1-2 odds after winning the April 10 Coolmore Jenny Wiley Stakes (G1T) in her preceding start, weakened late but still finished 2 1/2 lengths clear of She’sonthewarpath in third. Hendy Woods tired to fourth.
Vezpa , Tuned , Lashara , and Flash n’ Dance completed the order of finish.
Scratched were Dominga , Crystal Ball , and Sister Hanan .
Juliet Foxtrot carried high weight of 123 pounds, five more than the winner. Juliet Foxtrot did not travel to race in the Gamely Stakes (G1T) last month at Santa Anita Park after showing brief signs of sickness, according to her connections, and she didn’t replicate the high level of performance exhibited in the Jenny Wiley.
The Mint Julep was the first stakes victory of Mintd’s nine-race career. Her first four starts came in Ireland, where she became stakes placed, the last five in the United States. This year, she is 2-for-2 for owners Bradley Thoroughbreds, Madaket Stables, Team Hanley (Eugene Hanley), and Tim and Anna Cambron, having also won an allowance optional claiming race at Churchill in late April.
“It was a tough field on paper with a lot of nice fillies and mares entered,” Walsh said of the Mint Julep. “This horse has been very progressive in her development. She ran a great race on Kentucky Oaks Day and had a beautiful breeze over the turf (at Churchill Downs). I thought we had a good chance against some very nice fillies and Ricardo gave her a fantastic ride.”
Bred in Ireland by Joe and Edel Banahan and Micheal Smith, Mintd is one of two winners for the Raven’s Pass mare Lisanor . The mare’s other winner is September Power, a 4-year-old by Mastercraftsman . She also has an unraced 2-year-old filly named Sally Golightly (Zoffany ) and an unnamed Oasis Dream yearling filly.
Mintd fell short of her reserve at the Tattersalls’ September Yearling Sale from the Moortown House Stud consignment in 2017 when bidding stalled at 32,000 Euro (US$38,253). Her current owners acquired her after her races in Ireland.
