Sweet Treasure raced unpressured on the lead, withstood a cut-the-corner problem from longshot Vina Arana (IRE), and turned again a menacing late cost by Proctor Street to win Saturday’s fiftieth working of the $275,000 Old Forester Mint Julep Stakes (G3) by a half size at Churchill Downs.
Irad Ortiz Jr. rode Sweet Treasure to victory for coach Brad Cox and house owners Dann Glick’s Full of Run Racing II LLC and Frank Silva. Sweet Treasure lined 1 1/16 miles on “firm” turf in 1:40.29, which eclipsed Pin Up Betty’s 2025 stakes document of 1:40.55.
Advertisement
This was the primary stakes victory for Sweet Treasure, who was third in final fall’s Grade 3 Pebbles at Aqueduct.
“There wasn’t a lot of pace on paper,” Cox mentioned. “She was traveling very well into the first turn and was in a great spot. Irad got her to relax and save energy for the stretch. This is a great group of owners to work for. I’m really happy for the filly and all the connections.”
Sweet Treasure set a measured tempo of :24.04, :48.28 and 1:11.87 with no challenges till the ultimate flip. Defending Mint Julep champ Pin Up Betty got here inside a half-length leaving the flip as 31-1 outsider Vina Arana (IRE) snuck by way of a gap alongside the within to get a head in entrance. But Sweet Treasure had lots left for the stretch run as she put away Vina Arana (IRE) with a sixteenth of mile to the end and turned again a surging Proctor Street, who rallied from fifth.
“There wasn’t a lot of speed early and after we broke well, she took us right to the front,” Cox mentioned. “She relaxed well down the backside and down the lane really fought hard to stay in front.”
Advertisement
Sweet Treasure returned $6.96 for the win because the 2-1 favourite. Proctor Street outfinished Vina Arana, despatched off at 31-1, by three-quarters of a size for second within the discipline of 9.
In the Stars was fourth and was adopted by Medoro, Favorite Memory (GB) and Pin Up Betty. Charlene’s Dream and Stylish Sue had been scratched.
The $166,710 first prize elevated Sweet Treasure’s earnings to $452,448 with a document of 5-0-2 in 9 begins.
Sweet Treasure is a Kentucky-bred 4-year-old daughter of Twirling Candy out of the Empire Maker mare Stellium. She was bred by Don Alberto Corporation.
This story was initially printed by Paulick Report on May 31, 2026, the place it first appeared within the News part. Add Paulick Report as a Preferred Source by clicking here.