Gam's Mission ran down pacesetter Dalika in the homestretch to score a 1 ¼-length victory the $193,350 Old Forester Mint Julep Stakes (G3) Sunday at Churchill Downs.
Gam's Mission, trained by Cherie DeVaux and ridden by Adam Beschizza, ran 1 1/16 miles on firm turf in 1:43.53
German-bred Dalika led the field of 10 fillies and mares throughout the early stages of the races through quarter-mile splits of :24.22, :48.68, and 1:13.10 as Gam's Mission relaxed in in seventh down the backstretch. Entering the turn, Gam's Mission began to move into contention with a wide move, drew even with the leader at the final furlong-marker and inched clear in the final 100 yards for the win.
Take Charge Ro was third, another 1 ¼ lengths behind Dalika.
“She's a war horse,” Beschizza, who also won the 2019 Mint Julep aboard Mom's On Strike, said of Gam's Mission. “She's very tough, but this filly is all heart. She probably prefers a little cut in the ground and it was pretty fast today. She was able to overcome that and win very nicely. We thought she'd be sitting on a big run today and was doing well with just a couple of easy gallops into today's race.”
Gam's Mission returned $8.20.
Petricor, the 5-2 favorite was fourth, followed by Hendy Woods, Waliyak, Market Rumor, Keeper of Time, Lake Lucerne, and Ambassador Luna.
This was the second graded stakes win for Gam's Mission, who won the Regret Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs a year ago. She joins the Kenny-McPeek-trained Bizzy Caroline (2011-12) as the only fillies to complete the Regret/Mint Julep double in successive years.
“Adam did a great job with her getting to settle from off the pace,” DeVaux said. “She was a little bit farther back than normal but that was just sort of how the race unfolded today with (Dalika) on the front end. I'm really pleased with her effort to close that strongly.”
The $118,075 first prize boosted Gam's Mission's earnings to $448,708 with a record of 4-3-0 in 10 starts, including three wins in four starts over the Matt Winn Turf Course. She is owned by breeder Lazy F Ranch's Cornelia G. Corbett.
Gam's Mission is a 4-year-old daughter of Noble Mission out of the War Pass mare Auntie Martha and was bred in Kentucky.
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