Ancient Rome (War Front) came to America and conquered the richest turf race outside of the Breeders' Cup in Kentucky Downs's GIII Mint Millions S. A graded-stakes winner in his native France, the Charlie Hill trainee also picked up Group 1 placings in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere and the Criterium International as a juvenile.
Shipped in specifically for this race, the 6-1 shot came away in the front flight but began to take back under jockey Jamie Spencer as Stiched (Mizzen Mast) and Smokin' T (War Front) traded blows up front. Caught wide up the sweeping run into the far turn, Ancient Rome had clear aim on the leaders into the stretch and rallied outside of the pair to nab the win. Race favorite Annapolis (War Front) made a move to come through a hole inside of Ancient Rome inside the final sixteenth but had to check back as the eventual winner closed the gap.
“I think he's pretty adaptable on all types of ground,” said Spencer. “He's been running on Polytrack also. I went to ride him at home once, and he was pretty lively on his feet. I was pretty expecting that was how he'd be in the paddock. He went to the post a bit lively. I kept him on the move. He was good once he got in the gates. For an English horse, he broke really fast. But he's always done that in France.”
Pedigree Note:
Ancient Rome is another feather in the cap for prolific global sire War Front. His full-sister Etoile, herself a group winner in Ireland, is the dam of successful American juvenile runner No Nay Mets (Ire) (No Nay Never) who sold for £800,000 in the Goffs London Sale just before a start at Royal Ascot in June. Dam Gagnoa is a half to several group winners and to the dam of GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner Pizza Bianca (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) who RNA'd for $3.45m at last year's Fasig-Tipton November Sale. She is responsible for eight winners from as many to race and foaled back-to-back fillies by Justify in 2021 and 2022 respectively. She returned to the Triple Crown champion for 2024.
#6 Ancient Rome comes to Kentucky Downs from Europe and takes the G3 Mint Millions S. for trainer Charlie Hills with Jamie Spencer in the saddle!
#TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/RN0DmRbWgV
— TwinSpires Racing
(@TwinSpires) September 2, 2023
Saturday, Kentucky Downs
MINT MILLIONS S.-GIII, $1,994,285, Kentucky Downs, 9-2, 3yo/up, 1mT, 1:33.37, fm.
1–ANCIENT ROME, 122, c, 4, by War Front
1st Dam: Gagnoa (Ire) (MGSW & MG1SP-Fr, G1SP-Ire, $597,492), by Sadler's Wells
2nd Dam: Gwynn (Ire), by Darshaan (GB)
3rd Dam: Victoress, by Conquistador Cielo
O-Mrs. Fitriani Hay; B-Orpendale/Chelston/Wynatt (KY);
T-Charlie Hills; J-Jamie P. Spencer. $1,176,600. Lifetime
Record: GSW & MG1SP-Fr, 16-6-3-2, $1,528,247. *Full to
Etoile, GSW-Ire. Werk Nick Rating: B+.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Stitched, 126, c, 4, Mizzen Mast–Walking Miracle, by Into
Mischief. ($50,000 RNA Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-Nathan McCauley,
Michael Olszewski and William Minton; B-Nathan McCauley
(KY); T-Gregory D. Foley. $386,000.
3–Smokin' T, 126, c, 4, War Front–Wine Princess, by
Ghostzapper. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($295,000 RNA Ylg
'20 KEESEP). O/B-Dattt Farm LLC (KY); T-Claude R. McGaughey
III. $193,000.
Margins: HF, HD, HF. Odds: 6.66, 24.55, 6.46.
Also Ran: Atone, Annapolis, Dhabab (Ire), Max K. O., Hozier, Gray's Fable, Get Her Number, Cabo Spirit, Churchtown.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
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