'War horse' Gam's Mission runs down Dalika in Mint Julep

Gam’s Mission ran down pacesetter Dalika in the homestretch to score a 1 1/4-length victory in Sunday’s 46th running of the Grade 3, $193,350 Mint Julep Stakes 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.

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.

“She’s a war horse,” said Beschizza, who also won the 2019 Mint Julep aboard Mom’s On Strike. “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, $4.40, and $3.80. Dalika, under Ricardo Santana Jr., paid $6.40 and $5. Take Charge Ro, with James Graham up, was another 1 1/4 lengths back in third and paid $8.80 to show.

It was another neck back to 5-2 favorite Petricor in fourth, who was 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 last year’s 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 jumped 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 Lazy F Ranch’s Cornelia G. Corbett.

Gam’s Mission is a 4-year-old homebred daughter of Noble Mission out of the War Pass mare Auntie Martha and was bred in Kentucky.