For Immediate Release



HOT SPRINGS, AR – Instant replay.

The speedy Booth roared to his second consecutive stakes victory, scoring in gate-to-wire fashion in the six-furlong $250,000 Whitmore (G3) for older horses at 6 furlongs Saturday at Oaklawn.

Booth, the 5-2 favorite under Erik Asmussen, finished 2 ¼ lengths ahead of Giant Mischief, with late-running millionaire Tejano Twist another 3 ½ lengths farther back in third. Happy Is a Choice, Closethegame Sugar, Miles Ahead and Jaxon Traveler completed the order of finish. The starting field was reduced to seven following the scratches of Glengarry and Durant.

The Whitmore mirrored Booth’s last start, a front-running 4 ¾-length romp in the inaugural $145,000 Commodore Overnight Stakes Feb. 24 at Oaklawn.

Booth ($7) again rocketed to the lead, wasn’t pressured through a rapid half-mile (:45.18) and never threatened in the stretch. Booth’s final time over a fast track was 1:09.79. The 4-year-old son of champion Mitole recorded a meet-best 1:08.64 in the Commodore, which was his first career stakes victory.

The Whitmore was the third victory on the card for Asmussen and the second for his father, Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, who conditions Booth for owners William Heiligbrodt, wife Corinne, Jackpot Farm (Terry Green) and Whispering Oaks Farm (Carrol Castille).

The Whitmore was also Asmussen’s record-extending 118^th career Oaklawn stakes victory. Booth raised his career earnings to $476,191 following his fifth victory from nine starts.

Booth is from the first crop of Mitole, an Eclipse Award winner at 4 for the Heiligbrodts and Asmussen as North America’s champion male sprinter of 2019. Mitole was also North America’s leading first-crop sire of 2023. The Heiligbrodts, in partnership with Jackpot Farm, purchased Booth for $225,000 at the 2023 OBS March Sale of Two-Year-Olds in training.

The Whitmore – named for the seven-time Oaklawn stakes winner and 2020 champion male sprinter – was Oaklawn’s final major prep for the six-furlong $500,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (G3) April 12. Mitole won the 2019 Count Fleet.

Racing continues Sunday at Oaklawn, with first post 12:30 p.m. (Central).

WHITMORE QUOTES

WINNING JOCKEY ERIK ASMUSSEN (BOOTH): “He ran huge. He acted great, did everything right. We figured out what he likes to do.”

WINNING TRAINER STEVE ASMUSSEN (BOOTH): “Well, I think it’s like his daddy (Mitole) – with time, with time. It’s his 4-year-old year, which was when Mitole became Mitole. Those are two really impressive races against some very nice sprinters.”