by Godolphin First mission scratched from the 2023 Preakness Stakes (G1) due to a left hind ankle injury that shortened his three-year campaign, is making up for lost time this year.
Racing May 3 in the $730,000 Alysheba Stakes (G2) on Kentucky Oaks (G1) at Churchill Downsthe son of Street feel scored his second consecutive ranking betting win by taking out Japan’s long shot TO Saint Denis and cruised to a four-length victory. It followed a five-length margin in the March 23 Essex Handicap (G3) at Oaklawn Park and finished ninth in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) on January 27 in his only other start of 2024.
Michael Banahan, Godolphin’s director of bloodstock, was all smiles after the performance of their stock at Alysheba. He sees First Mission as a viable contender for a race such as the $1 million Stephen Foster Stakes (G1) at Churchill Downs June 29.
“We felt like he was that type of horse,” Banahan said of the colt, who improved to 5-2-0 in eight starts. His income is $1,273,020.
Stephen Foster is the Breeders’ Cup Challenge event for the November 2 Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) at Del Mar.
The first assignment was run 1/16 mile on a sloppy track under the guidance of Florent Geroux in 1:42.03. Intern Brad Cox paid $4.14 for his $2 winning bet as the favorite.
The capture of Alysheba immediately followed the capture of the above uncontrolled Sidney Shares (G3T). ova charges and La Troienne Stakes (G1) aboard the 2023 Senior Women’s Champion Idioms , Geroux scored his third consecutive graded stakes win on the Kentucky Oaks card. Cox also trains Idiomatic.
The trainer credited Geroux’s patience for the rider’s patience in Alysheba. Geroux had him in third place early in the round, as the 27-1 shot TO Saint Denis took a clear lead, setting up quick fractions of :22.96, :46.77 and 1 :10.45 under Japanese rider Ryusei Sakai.
“We didn’t want to be there with him,” Cox said.
Despite the lively fractions set by TO Saint Denis, the Japanese rider remained in second place, although he was knocked out late. Having trailed by two lengths in the middle, he weakened noticeably in the final stretch, although he tried his best to overtake Il Miracolo .
TO Saint Denis entered the race with a record of 2 for 22 and was surpassed by the Kentucky Derby (G1) driver TO password this week gently at Churchill Downs. Daisuke Takayanagi trains both horses for owner Tomoya Ozasa.
Kazushi Kimura, a native of Canada and of Japanese descent, rides TOPassword in the May 4 Kentucky Derby, while Sakai will enter Youth forever The colt was considered by many to be Japan’s best chance for the Derby.
Sakai said in comments translated by Japanese race director Hiroshi Ando. “I feel good to ride tomorrow.”
“He ran a big race,” Geroux said of TO Saint Denis. “Deep in the stretch, my horse’s stride was quicker and he finished very easily.”
First Mission, winner of last year’s Lexington Stakes (G3), was bred in Kentucky. Medaglia d’Oro mare hide . He is a dark filly or brown son of Street Sense, the 2007 Kentucky Derby winner for $60,000 at Darley in Kentucky. First Mission is one of three graded stakes winners this year for his sire, a top-20 stallion in North America in 2023 and again this year.
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