by Tommy Raymond
Allied Racing Stable’s Mr. Money entered Saturday’s $396,000 Pat Day Mile Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs a maiden winner, having spent the bulk of his short career facing top-notch competition, but those experiences may have helped Saturday as the Bret Calhoun-trained charge finally notched his first stakes win. Beneath a confident Gabriel Saez, the colt pulled away with authority to win by a growing 5 1/4 lengths.
Mr. Money raced in midpack as Mr Money Bags, followed by Dunph, took the field of 13 through a quarter in :22.21 and a half in :45.42. The pace soon got to be too much for those two, though, as Mr. Money and Hog Creek Hustle soon moved to the front and engaged in a temporary duel. By the time six furlongs was hit in 1:10.50, Mr. Money had taken the final initiative, and the race was essentially over. Mr. Money extended his lead more and more in the final two furlongs and recorded a mile time of 1:35.21 over a track labeled fast.
Hog Creek Hustle was easily second best, 2 ½ lengths up on Dream Maker, who in turn was followed by Captain Von Trapp, Everfast, Frolic More, Dunph, the favored Instagrand, Last Judgment, Durkin’s Call, Tobacco Road, Manny Wah and Mr Money Bags. Market King and Global Campaign were both withdrawn.
Mr. Money broke his maiden in late September beneath the Twin Spires and then acquitted himself well by finishing fourth at 41-1 in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1), also at Churchill. Prior to Saturday’s effort the colt was unplaced in the Risen Star Stakes (G2) and Louisiana Derby (G2).
Those two races didn’t deter his connections from facing the graded ranks again, and they were rewarded for that confidence on Saturday.
“In the Louisiana Derby, he ran a good race, didn’t have a perfect trip,” Calhoun explained. “But he got up here and trained phenomenally well. We thought the Pat Day Mile would suit him. I don’t know how far he wants to go but based on the way he ran today, I don’t think going a little farther is going to stop him.”
Mr. Money sold for $130,000 as a Keeneland September yearling and was bred in Kentucky by Spruce Lane Farm. He was produced by the winning Tiznow mare Plenty O’Toole, who has an unnamed yearling filly by Awesome Again and a reported 2019 filly by Speightstown.
Mr. Money now shows a career record of 7-2-2-0, $400,080.
