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Malibu Mint joins the Club John R. & Martha Jane Mulholland's MALIBU MINT (Malibu Moon) raced near the back early in the $300,000 Thoroughbred Club of America S. (G3) at Keeneland on Saturday, before coming three or four wide around the turn and running six wide down the stretch to secure the one-length victory. With Kyle Kaenel in the saddle, the James Chapman-trained lass ran six furlongs on the Polytrack in 1:08 3/5 as the 7-2 second choice, paying $9.20, $4.80 and $4. Malibu Mint was quickest from the gate when the doors opened, but dropped back between horses early as Maggie Jordan (Fusaichi Pegasus) recorded a first quarter in :22 1/5. Not far back, though, was Hot Storm (Stormy Atlantic), who moved up to the outside of Maggie Jordan to take charge through a half-mile in :44 4/5. Neither one of those two could hold off the fast-charging Hide and Chic (Seeking the Gold), who had a head advantage through five furlongs in :56 3/5, but Malibu Mint was just gearing up. With Kaenel urging her on, the four-year-old filly overtook Hide and Chic and drew off to capture her fourth stakes score. Chapman was full of praise for both his filly and her jockey. "She's just a good filly, and we're still not to the bottom of this filly," he said. "I think she could run long, and (racing on) the grass could move her up. "Kyle is a good kid," he continued. "He came down and got on some horses at Palm Meadows for me. He wanted to come to Churchill. We had some horses that had gone south and I couldn't do him justice. This kid, he needs a shot because he's a good rider. He's a top rider." Hide and Chic, the 12-1 fourth choice, was a length up on Hot Storm to pay $10.20 and $5.60 while finishing the $70 exacta. Hot Storm, in turn, was a half-length better than 4-5 favorite Behaving Badly (Pioneering) at the wire, returning $5.80 at 16-1 and ending the $663.20 trifecta. The 4-5-8-6 superfecta was worth $1,231.80, and following the top four under the line were Maryfield (Elusive Quality), Bluesbdancing (Golden Gear), Play Ballado (Saint Ballado) and Maggie Jordan. Original Spin (Distorted Humor) was withdrawn. Malibu Mint vindicated her 3 3/4-length win in the Princess Rooney H. (G1) during the summer, and also owns victories in the Weekend Delight S. prior to this one and last year's Chaposa Springs H. The chestnut also owns placings from the Honorable Miss H. (G2) and Winning Colors S. from this season, and now boasts a 22-7-4-1, $690,829, career mark. Bred in Kentucky by B. Wayne Hughes, Malibu Mint is out of the stakes-winning Ivory Mint (Key to the Mint) and brought $15,000 as a Keeneland September yearling. She has an unnamed yearling half-brother by No Armistice and an unnamed weanling half-sister by Runaway Groom.
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