Mint Millions winner Haatem possible for Breeders’ Cup Mile

• Pepsi Kentucky Downs Juvenile Fillies winner Citrus Springs to remain stateside for American campaign
• Future options are aplenty for $1.75 million KTDF Gun Runner victor Bottas
• Laigina’s $250,000 Lucky Lantern Victory All in the Family for Asmussen

Kentucky Downs media notes by publicist Ryan Martin (Coady Media/Renee Torbit photo above of Haatem winning the Mint Millions)

Haatem possible for G1 Breeders’ Cup Mile following G3 Mint Millions Invitational conquest

FRANKLIN, KY (September 9, 2026) – Wathnan Racing’s Haatem earned a 98 Beyer Speed Figure from his triumphant American debut and fourth career victory at Graded/Group level in Labor Day Monday’s Grade 3, $2 million Mint Millions Invitational at Kentucky Downs.

Hailing from the Wiltshire, England Herridge and Everleigh Racing Stables yard of trainer Richard Hannon Jr., Haatem made a glorious return to winning form in the one-mile Mint Millions, entering from a close fifth, beaten a length, going nine furlongs at Goodwood on July 31. In Monday’s race, he broke a step slow but was hustled into contention, tipped a few paths to the outside in third around the far turn before gaining command in the upper stretch. He held off a late surge from multiple graded stakes-winner Lagynos in the final furlong to win by neck. 

Hannon Jr. , who secured his first stateside victory, said the Grade 1, $2 million Breeders’ Cup Mile on October 31 at Keeneland is within the realm of possibility for Haatem. Should the 5-year-old son of Phoenix of Spain contest the Mile, he would be Hannon Jr. ‘s first contender in the race since multiple Group 1-winner Toronado finished eighth as the favorite in 2014. 

“There are races here in Europe, but of course the Breeders’ Cup would be something to be considered,” Hannon Jr. said. 

The Mint Millions triumph was a redeeming one for Haatem, who had not won a race in his three prior starts this year. After a seventh in his seasonal debut at Goodwood going 1 ¼ miles in late May, he sought a third straight victory at Royal Ascot in the Wolferton going the same distance. There, he tracked the pace in behind horses and never found any racing room in the homestretch, finishing last-of-16.

“The beginning of the year was a bit of a disappointment, there was a hold up early on getting him fit,” Hannon Jr. said. “He went to Goodwood needing a run, then he went to Ascot, and he was probably good enough to win the race but didn’t get any daylight the whole way around.”

Haatem had won two years in a row from 2024-25 at Royal Ascot, with his last win taking place at last year’s world-renowned meet in the 1 ¼-mile Wolferton against 15 others. During his 3-year-old year in 2024, he contested a 19-horse field in Royal Ascot’s Group 3 Jersey at seven furlongs. That effort came following a close second, beaten a head, in the Group 1 Irish 2000 Guineas at the Curragh and a third to last year’s Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Mile winner Notable Speech in the Group 1 English 2000 Guineas at Newmarket. He won the Group 3 Craven at Newmarket in his sophomore debut. 

As a 2-year-old, Haatem was a six-length winner at second asking at Bath, four starts before earning his first Group conquest in the Group 2 Vintage going seven furlongs at Goodwood. 

“He was a strong, very good-looking horse [at two],” Hannon Jr. said. “A very good mover and very honest. He kept that going through his 3, 4 and 5-year-old years. He goes as fast or as slow as he needs to. We’re delighted with the way he traveled.

“He’s a very tough horse, and we’re delighted to have gone to America and get the job done. It was fabulous watching.”

Hannon Jr. spoke volumes of Irish champion jockey Jamie Spencer who–in addition to piloting Haatem to victory on Monday–teamed up with former Irish champion jockey-now-trainer John Murtagh to win the Grade 2 The Mint-Franklin Simpson with Take Charge Star. 

“He’s got a lot of experience, and he’s a top-class jockey anywhere in the world that he rides,” Hannon Jr. said of Spencer. 

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Pepsi Kentucky Downs Juvenile Fillies winner Citrus Springs to remain stateside for American campaign

Following a triumphant North American debut in Monday’s $750,000 Pepsi Kentucky Downs Juvenile Fillies, Citrus Springs is scheduled to remain in the United States with a sharp eye on the Grade 1, $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf on October 30 at Keeneland. 

The Kentucky-bred Citrus Springs, by freshman sire Olympiad, was a five-length maiden winner at third asking, going seven furlongs at Gowran Park on August 12 for trainer Joseph O’Brien. In Monday’s Pepsi Juvenile Fillies, Citrus Springs contested firm ground and the one-mile distance for the first time, and handled them both with aplomb, fending off a late-rallying Up Before the Dawn to win by a head. The victory garnered an 83 Beyer Speed Figure. 

Which American-based trainer Citrus Springs will be under the care of remains to be unseen, but owners Dean and Patti Reeves of Reeves Thoroughbred Racing have multiple horses with trainers such as Miguel Clement, George Weaver and Danny Gargan. 

Dean Reeves admitted that he didn’t know what to expect going into Monday’s race, but believes that he now has a live Breeders’ Cup contender on his hands. 

“I think seeing how she did, who she ran against, and definitely with the Breeders’ Cup being right there at Keeneland this year, we could certainly be competitive if the weather holds, and we get a firm track,” Reeves said. 

It was O’Brien who told Reeves that an American campaign would be best suited for his newest stakes winner. Reeves purchased Citrus Springs following a runner-up in July at Leopardstown, which came before a five-length maiden victory at Gowran Park on August 12 going seven furlongs. 

“Joseph had the horse, and we were watching her when she finished second over there. After she won the race, we were able to buy the horse. Joseph told us that she likes firm ground,” Reeves said. “He said we should leave her here, since the weather over there is changing and the soft ground is coming up, there just aren’t going to be too many opportunities coming up,” Reeves said. “I didn’t know what to expect, but watching the race I thought, ‘Wow, this filly can run!’

“I thought it speaks highly of Joseph for him to tell me to leave the horse over here because the opportunities with her are better,” Reeves added. “But he’s looking out for the horse and for me.”

Reeves owns a handful of horses overseas with Joseph as well as his brother Donnacha O’Brien, the sons of world-renowned Irish champion trainer Aidan O’Brien. 

“They are such easygoing people and they come from a great family. I have a really nice [2-year-old] filly [Ballyskeagh] with their mother Anne Marie as well,” Reeves said. “We’ve created a good relationship. They’re both great trainers, and the way they both go about their business just makes for a well-run operation. The training, where they put their horses, they have a barn full of good horses, and they know when to tell you that you have a good one or not. They go out and compete against Dad, and it’s tough to beat Aidan O’Brien over there.”

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Future options are aplenty for $1.75 million KTDF Gun Runner victor Bottas

Dahman’s Bottas doubled up on stakes scores this season, when he captured Monday’s $1.75 million KTDF Gun Runner going one mile at Kentucky Downs.

The 3-year-old son of third-crop sire Vekoma earned a career-high 95 Beyer Speed Figure from his Gun Runner score, which came exactly one month after winning the Grade 2 Hall of Fame on August 7 at Saratoga Race Course. The Gun Runner was Bottas’ third lifetime stakes conquest and second at the graded level, having won his graded debut in last year’s Grade 2 Pilgrim at Aqueduct. 

Trainer Miguel Clement was unsure of Bottas’ next start but said it would be “a matter of how ambitious we want to be,”. Upcoming stakes events for 3-year-olds on the grass include races like the Grade 2, $200,000 Hill Prince on October 10 at Belmont Park, the Grade 2, $400,000 Bryan Station on October 24 at Keeneland, the Grade 2, $500,000 Jockey Club Derby on November 28 at Belmont Park, and the Grade 1, $300,000 Hollywood Derby on November 28 at Del Mar. 

“Next on the horizon [for Bottas] are many options, especially with the way he won. He showed another dimension,” Clement said. “He had an explosive turn of foot when he broke his maiden. We didn’t see that same turn of foot replicated until his race on Monday. Not many horses can finish with that turn of foot.”

Clement also scored a stakes triumph at Kentucky Downs with fellow 3-year-old Caroline St. Beat who captured Saturday’s Grade 2, $3 million 1/ST BET Nashville Derby Invitational. 

“We’re very fortunate. It’s the right time of the year to have these types of horses in good form,” Clement said. 

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Laigina’s $250,000 Lucky Lantern Victory All in the Family for Asmussen

For any athlete celebrating a milestone, there is a layer of added sentiment if they can achieve said feat in front of family. 

When jockey Keith Asmussen guided Laigina to victory in the $250,000 Lucky Lantern at Kentucky Downs Labor Day Monday to win a stakes at the Franklin, KY track for the first time in his career, he checked that box off in bold ink.

There may have been larger entourages that gathered in the winner’s circle during the final day of the U.S. Open of Turf Championships at Kentucky Downs but none boasted the level of familial closeness like the one following the 6 ½ furlong Lucky Lantern. Riding a filly trained and co-owned by his father-in-law Patrick Biacone, Asmussen was greeted and then interviewed by his wife, reporter and analyst, Andie Biancone Asmussen, who also galloped Laigina in the lead up to her victorious run.

Keith and Andie were married on August 18, making Monday’s triumph their first stakes victory as newlyweds.

“We’re paying for the honeymoon, little by little,” Andie laughed as she wrapped up her on-air interview with her father and her husband.

With Andie getting on Laigina in the mornings, Keith had firsthand intel on just how well the daughter of Leinster was taking to the Kentucky Downs course. So, when the 3-year-old  chestnut filly had to rally from well off the pace instead of her usual style of being forwardly placed, her pilot was overwhelmingly confident she would nonetheless produce the desired outcome.

“[Andie] kind of just had unbridled optimism about her going into the race,” said Keith, son of Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen. “I wasn’t overly concerned about any of the competitors in the race, just more so focused on the filly and how well she was doing here. She can run a little hot. We schooled here (Sunday) and she schooled beautifully. Today she warmed up looking at the clouds. She was very content with herself. 

“She got away good, but it’s a quicker race going 6 ½ [furlongs] at Kentucky Downs,” Keith continued. “Even though my instructions going in were to ride her away from there and get kind of close, I was two slaps in and the first flight was already gone. From there it was just put your hands down and the filly handled it beautifully and really helped me out.”

The family theme runs deep with Laigina as her dam, the Brother Derek mare Patriotic Brother, is a half sister to multiple Graded stakes-winning millionaire and Patrick Biancone-trained Diamond Oops.