Mitole’s Shisospicy becomes just the eighth 3yo filly in Breeders’ Cup history to defeat older males

Shisospicy went gate-to-wire in an electrifying performance in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) Saturday at Del Mar to become the first Breeders’ Cup winner for Mitole.

She also made some Breeders’ Cup history with the win, joining other legendary 3-year-old fillies like Goldikova (Ire), Miesque and five others to defeat older males in the championship event.

Accompanied by jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr., Shisospicy flew out of the gate Saturday and immediately showed her supreme speed, opening up a clear lead over a fast and accomplished group of international sprinters through a blazing half mile in :43.86. Despite the torrid early pace, the dark gray widened her lead in the stretch to win by 2 ½ lengths, marking the most dominant margin of victory in the race’s history. She stopped the timer in :55.24 for five furlongs over firm turf.

“I knew that she was going to explode today with her speed, and it worked out perfectly,” said trainer Jose D’Angelo. “With her speed, I just trained her for the race.”

Owned by Morplay Racing, LLC and Qatar Racing, LLC, four-time stakes winner Shisospicy is now 6-1-1 from nine starts and has earned $2,090,270. In her previous start, she captured the Music City S. (G2) at Kentucky Downs.

The champion filly was bred by Bill Heiligbrodt & Corinne Heiligbrodt, who campaigned her sire Mitole to becoming one of the fastest Breeders’ Cup Sprint champions in history. Saturday’s win moved Mitole into a clear second on this year’s Third-Crop Sires list in North America, only behind Omaha Beach by progeny earnings.