Olympiad turned in a gold-medal worthy performance in Saturday’s $250,000 Mineshaft S. (G3) at Fair Grounds, pulling away late to win the 1 1/16-mile contest by 2 ¼-lengths, breaking a 28-year-old track record with a time of 1:42.01 on the fast track.
The 4-year-old son of Speightstown is the 63rd lifetime graded stakes winner for his sire, who had another banner year in 2021, finishing fifth on the General Sire list with earnings of over $14 million. Speightstown has gotten off to a hot start in 2022, already accounting for four stakes winners.
Olympiad, who cost $700,000 at the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling sale, was making just the second graded start of his career on Saturday. The bay colt broke alertly and tracked Silver Prospector through a sensible half-mile in :48.11. Olympiad started to apply pressure at that point and finally got the lead in upper stretch. Silver Prospector offered some resistance, but Olympiad was too much in the final furlong and won with authority.
The record-setting victory earned Olympiad a Beyer Speed Figure of 102, his third triple-digit number in just seven lifetime starts.
Owned by the partnership of Grandview Equine, Cheyenne Stables LLC and LNJ Foxwoods, Olympiad is 4-1-1 lifetime and has earned $348,440.
Bred by Emory Hamilton, Olympiad is the second foal out of graded stakes-placed Tokyo Time, who is a half-sister to graded stakes winners Hungry Island and Soaring Empire.
